Roberts highlights judicial independence, rule of law in year-end report

In his annual Report on the Federal Judiciary, released on December 31, 2025, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. commemorated the 250th anniversary of Thomas Paine’s influential pamphlet Common Sense, linking it to the Declaration of Independence and the enduring principles of American justice.

Roberts’s 13-page report opens with a historical essay highlighting Paine’s role in galvanizing colonial sentiment for independence. The pamphlet, published anonymously in January 1776, sold 400,000 copies in a population of under 3 million, arguing for self-governance and inspiring the Second Continental Congress to draft the Declaration. 

Roberts also highlights the work of the Committee of Five, led by Thomas Jefferson, which resulted in the July 4, 1776, declaration that proclaimed “all men are created equal” with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The chief justice connects those ideals to the judiciary, noting how the declaration’s grievances against King George III’s control over judges were addressed in the Constitution through life tenure and salary protections. 

This framework, Roberts emphasizes, ensures judicial independence as a check on political branches. He acknowledges the Constitution’s initial shortcomings, such as accommodations for slavery, but praises the Declaration’s aspirational influence on amendments like the 13th (abolishing slavery), 14th (equal protection), and 19th (women’s suffrage), as well as landmark rulings like Brown v. Board of Education.

The report's appendix details fiscal 2025 workload statistics, showing resilience amid rising caseloads. Supreme Court filings dropped 9% to 3,856 cases, with 73 argued. Appeals courts saw a 5% increase to 41,824 filings, while district courts handled 303,563 civil cases (up 4%) and 79,029 criminal defendants (up 13%), the highest since FY 2019. Bankruptcy filings rose 11% to 557,376, and post-conviction supervision decreased 2% to 119,532.

Roberts’s report avoids recent controversies, focusing instead on historical foundations and operational data.