Siman 27

One who curses an established judge violates the negative commandment of "You shall not curse Elohim," in addition to the negative commandment regarding any Jew. And one who curses any Jew, even if he curses a deaf person who does not hear and suffers no distress from this at all, nevertheless violates a negative commandment, as it is said: "You shall not curse the deaf," meaning even a deaf person, and all the more so one who is not deaf. Regarding a judge, he violates two negative commandments, besides the fact that it is an insult to the entire Torah, since he judged a matter of Torah law; when one disgraces the judge, it is as if he disgraces the Torah, Heaven forbid. There is a great prohibition when one disgraces the judge with any derogatory speech or curses him with any type of curse whatsoever. However, he is not liable for lashes unless he curses him with a Name or a substitute name. Even with the names of foreign worship that the nations call the Holy One, Blessed be He, he is liable for lashes during the time of the Temple if there were witnesses and a warning, and even if the one cursed forgave him. But without a warning, or if he cursed without a Name or a substitute name, or if the curse came through the negation of a blessing—such as if he said, "May so-and-so not be blessed to Hashem"—or if he curses the dead, he is not liable for lashes, but there is a great prohibition in this. Similarly, one who curses himself, the prohibition is like one who curses others. And if he insulted a talmid chacham, they punish him, and the authority is in their hands to act when their intention is for the sake of Heaven. And even when he insulted an am ha'aretz, they punish him according to their estimation when they have the power to do so [nowadays these laws are not practiced].

One who became liable for punishment because he acted with abandon toward a beit din or toward other talmidei chachamim, and they wish to forgive their honor, the authority is in their hands. This is specifically when there will not be in this a loss to the honor of Hashem and His holy Torah, such as if by refraining from punishing him there will be in this a breach before the masses and the like. [This too is not practiced now, for we do not have permission for this from the exalted government]:

Many great authorities cried out like a crane regarding the fact that people mention the Name of Heaven in secular letters that they write to one another, whether they mention it in the Holy Tongue, in a secular language, or in any language whatsoever. For afterwards, the letters are cast into the refuse and the Names come to be treated with disgrace, and poverty has descended to the world due to this great sin. Behold, our ancestors established a holiday when they ceased mentioning the Name of Heaven in legal documents because of this concern—that tomorrow this one will pay his debt and the document will be cast into the refuse [Rosh Hashanah 18b]. Therefore, as it is known that among women and the ignorant this sin is common, each person must be careful not to treat letters with any manner of disparagement or disgrace, for it is a very severe sin. Regarding such matters it is stated: "For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be held in low esteem." Therefore, it is good to dispose of secular letters with dignity and to burn them. However, if it is known that the Name of Hashem is written in them, it is forbidden to burn them; therefore, one should cut out the Names and sequester them with dignity. And may a blessing of good come upon the one who hearkens, Amen and Amen. The laws of judges are completed with the help of Heaven.