© 2026 ABC News

After the president’s tweets about Robart, the U.S. Marshals estimated that there were 1,100 serious threats against the judge, the ABA said.

According to the U.S. Marshals, inappropriate communications or threats to protected court family members have also been on the rise.

There were 4,542 reports of threats or inappropriate communications to family members in 2018.

In 2014, that number was 768.

This report was featured in the Tuesday, July 21, 2020, episode of “Start Here,” ABC News’ daily news podcast.

\"Start Here\" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/murder-judge-esther-salas-son-highlights-surge-threats/story?id=71873951","legacySlug":"/news/story/murder-judge-esther-salas-son-highlights-surge-threats-71873951","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"14:27","publishDate":"07-20-2020","updatedTime":"12:56","updatedDate":"07-21-2020","socialImage":{"alt":"The house of judge Esther Salas in their North Brunswick, New Jersey, July 20, 2020.","credit":"Brian Branch Price/Zuma Press","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/esther-salas-home-zp-jef-200720_1595251784791_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"7/20/2020 14:27:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":71873951,"headline":"Threats to federal judges have increased","mediaAssetTitle":"THREATS TO JUDGES","description":"The son of New Jersey federal judge Esther Salas was killed Sunday. ","duration":"1:55","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/07/200720_gma_ramos_0712_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["136712647","136644484","136522197"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"September 24, 2026","headline":"Tracking the Nor'easter impacting the East Coast ","section":"News","slug":"/video/136712647","id":"136712647","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Tracking the Nor'easter impacting the East Coast and hurricane heading for Hawaii","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Tracking the Nor'easter impacting the East Coast and hurricane heading for Hawaii","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260924_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"September 22, 2026","headline":"Attorney for man shot in ICE confrontation speaks out","section":"News","slug":"/video/136644484","id":"136644484","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Attorney for man shot in ICE confrontation speaks out","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Attorney for man shot in ICE confrontation speaks out","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"September 17, 2026","headline":"Travis Kelce victimized by Ponzi scheme, prosecutor says","section":"News","slug":"/video/136522197","id":"136522197","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Travis Kelce victimized by Ponzi scheme, prosecutor says","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Travis Kelce victimized by Ponzi scheme, prosecutor says","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Threats to federal judges have increased","description":"The son of New Jersey federal judge Esther Salas was killed Sunday. ","duration":"1:55","uploadDate":"07-20-2020","publication":"07-20-2020","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/07/200720_gma_ramos_0712_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/07/200720_gma_ramos_0712_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/murder-judge-esther-salas-son-highlights-surge-threats-71873951"}},"playlist":[{"id":"136766868","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136694294","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136682772","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136631130","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136644492","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136623234","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136614308","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136605272","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136553132","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136553226","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136557362","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136480407","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136499152","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136340119","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136351654","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136345786","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136309285","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136312798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136301180","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136298965","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Threats to federal judges have increased","pubTime":"10:27","pubDate":"07-20-2020","modTime":"08:56","modDate":"07-21-2020","taxonomyTags":"none","id":71873951,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Threats to federal judges have increased","mediaAssetTitle":"THREATS TO JUDGES","videoId":71873951,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/murder-judge-esther-salas-son-highlights-surge-threats-71873951"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/71873951","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/71873951","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};