Can You Be Tough on Crime and Still Show Grace

In this episode of Code Red, retired federal judge Tim Batten shares a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the justice system—from the weight of sentencing decisions to the reality that every person who stands before the bench has a story. With decades on the federal bench, he opens up about law, mercy, and faith—and what it really means to pursue justice in a broken world. He shares:What it’s like to sentence someone to decades in prisonWhy every defendant deserves dignity and respectThe emotional weight judges carry (and rarely talk about)How faith shaped his approach to justiceHis role in the 2020 election case—and why he ruled the way he didWhy Christians are needed in the legal system now more than ever This conversation is thoughtful, sobering, and deeply insightful.