As the country turns 250, retired judges hit the road to defend judicial independence

A tour bus carrying retired judges on a tour through
the Rust Belt to defend judicial independence is parted outside the
Westmoreland County Courthouse in
Greensburg, Pa., on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
(Keep Our Republic via AP)

On Friday, a group of retired judges will step off a tour bus in a ritzy Michigan suburb after three days of barnstorming through corn fields, cities and coal towns in Ohio and Pennsylvania. They carry with them a message.

In courthouses and public squares, they have marked the nation's 250th anniversary with a dire warning: The rule of law in America is in grave danger. They will deliver a similar message at a library in Grosse Pointe just outside Detroit — the last stop on an extraordinary tour to defend judicial independence and bolster trust in courts.

Americans' confidence in the court system and democracy has dipped in recent years. The country is more polarized, and President Donald Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on the fairness of the judicial system.

By SUDHIN THANAWALA

Full story at Yahoo News