What is Procedural Justice?

Procedural justice isn’t about who wins or loses.

It's about whether people are heard, respected, and treated with dignity by the system deciding their lives.

For nearly 25 years, Patricia Ryan and Kristen Breitweiser, widows and heirs of those murdered on September 11, 2001, have been navigating court proceedings that too often sidelined them.

In December 2025, they finally placed their concerns on the public docket—documenting long-standing issues of voice, transparency, and conflicts of interest.

Their experience mirrors what my research has shown again and again: when dissent is silenced and decisions are made behind closed doors, trust collapses—and so does legitimacy.

Due process isn’t a luxury; it's a right.