The notion of a cloistered judiciary that interacts little with the public is over, thanks in large part to the democratizing effect of social media.

Whether that means large public outcries in reaction to certain decisions, real-time podcasts and Substack posts designed to directly influence court rulings, or specific interactions between judges and attorneys on Twitter, the effects are here and they’re being seen from the U.S. Supreme Court to individual state judiciaries.

Presiding Judge Stephen Dillard of the Georgia Court of Appeals. Courtesy photo Presiding Judge Stephen Dillard of the Georgia Court of Appeals. Courtesy photo