Misconduct Findings Against Judge Prompt Clerk Safety Questions

An Alaska federal judge’s resignation following abusive conduct toward his clerks is raising concerns about whether some of the judiciary’s most vulnerable employees are properly protected from hostile workplaces, even as new measures have been put in place.

Former clerks who have advocated for changes to how the federal judiciary handles misconduct complaints noted that the order released Monday about since-resigned US District Judge Joshua Kindred’s conduct doesn’t mention steps taken to protect his clerks during the year-and-a-half long investigation into his behavior. And they said it underscores how the federal judiciary could benefit from additional safeguards.

“I think ...