Commonwealth Club: Sneak Preview Film Screening and Discussion: Judges Under Fire

The new documentary short Judges Under Fire examines the vital role U.S. District Court judges play in upholding constitutional limits, judicial independence and the rule of law. Through interviews with judges, legal scholars and public interest advocates, including Judge John Coughenour, who ruled in the first birthright citizenship case; retired federal judges David Tatel and Shira Scheindlin; and Robert Reich, Melissa Murray and Vince Warren, the film shows how federal judges serve as a critical check in America’s system of separated powers, and the personal toll they face for doing their jobs.  A portrait of democracy itself, it asks what happens when courts come under pressure, and why an independent judiciary matters to everyone. About the Speakers Abby Ginzberg, Peabody award-winning director, has been producing compelling documentaries about race and social justice for over 35 years. Co-director and producer, Judges Under Fire. Ken Schneider produces and directs documentaries. His work has appeared on PBS’ “American Masters,” “POV,” “Independent Lens,” “Frontline,” on HBO, Al-Jazeera’s “Witness,” Showtime, and in television and film festivals worldwide. Co-director and editor, Judges Under Fire. Judge Suzanne Ramos Bolanos was the first Latina judge on the San Francisco Superior Court, where she served for more than two decades. She is a past president of the California Latino Judges Association and currently serves as co-chair of the Retired Judges Initiative. Our moderator, Eva Paterson, is co-founder and founding president of the Equal Justice Society. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Northwestern University.