When COVID-19 struck in early 2020, Chief Justice William Howard Taft’s vision of a Judiciary that could work in unison was put to perhaps its greatest test. For critical weeks and months, the Judiciary’s very ability to conduct proceedings was endangered. The Judicial Conference of the United States, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and judges and court staff across the country worked tirelessly to keep courts open and safe.
Over the last 25 years, the federal Judiciary has faced several fiscal emergencies, including sequestration and two government shutdowns. Each event illustrates how the Judicial Conference of the United States has transformed the way federal courts manage their finances.