Chief justice: Give judges a raise

[Clovis Sangrail]

Source: CNN

"This salary restoration legislation is vital now that the denial of annual increases over the years has left federal trial judges -- the backbone of our system of justice -- earning about the same as (and in some cases less than) first-year lawyers at firms in major cities, where many of the judges are located," Roberts wrote.
....
Current figures prepared by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts show federal judicial pay -- adjusted for inflation -- declined approximately 25 percent from 1969 to 2006. During the same time, the real pay of the average American worker increased by about 19 percent.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/01/scotus.review/

---

Real pay of the average american worker has increased by 19% ? 0o

[Deja Q]

1. Well, that explains why so many jobs are going offshore...

Given the cost of the legal industry, how long before it explodes overseas too?

[MilesColtrane]

16. "Hello. You've reached the court of Judge Sanjeet."

"Please press 1 for a plea of guilty, 2 for not guilty, and 3 for nolo contendre.
Thank you. Come again!"

[JDPriestly]

2. I'm going to repost something I posted earlier in response to a thread on this subject.

The law that applies to other employees applies to them. They do not have the "right" to be compensated fairly. If they don't like their pay, they have the same "right" we do to look for new jobs.

The federal judges and Supreme Court justices are virtually the only employees or working people in America whose employment "contracts" if you will guarantee that they can be fired only with extremely good cause -- for as long as they live.

That "right" to continued employment terminable only upon good cause has a financial value. The judges and justices do not have to worry about facing periods of unemployment, no pay, lay-offs, or other interruptions in their income. As a result, they have excellent credit and get all kinds of advantages. On top of it all, they get excellent insurance benefits and, if they do decide to retire, pensions. All of those perks count toward their compensation.

Unlike legislators who are in the same salary range, the judges and justices do not have to run for office, do not have to maintain two homes, one in their district or state and another in D.C. and do not have to pay for the transportation home and back to D.C. every week or so.

If the judges and justices don't think the employment laws that give their employer total control over their pay scales, they should from a union and bargain for a better deal -- under the same rules that other American working people have to play by. Or, unlike other Americans, they can tweak the laws on employment contracts and workers' rights or even change them outright. Roberts should get with the program or get out, just like any other employee.

[PoiBoy]

3. Excellent response JD...!!

May I quote you?

:hi:

[Nederland]

37. Missing the Point

I think the Chief Justice is saying that the pay for justices should increase if you want good people in the position. As it is right now, first year law students can make more than federal judges, so why would any talented professional want to enter the judiciary?

[pennylane100]

39. That explains a lot about our current new hires.

They can do what the rest of the working people do, either suck it up and do the job they were hired for or they can move on.

[loves_dulcinea]

4. why increase their pay?

they make most of their money in bribes anyway.

[L0oniX]

10. LOL

:rofl:

[Zorra]

5. How about we outsource the SCOTUS and hire undocumented

workers to take their place at $8.00/hr?

Since the SCOTUS includes 5 partisan corporatists on its bench, every decision they make is ultimately handed down to them from some corporate office.

A few lettuce pickers can do that just as well, and for a fraction of the cost.

[davidinalameda]

22. so there's some cabal that makes the SCOTUS rule they way they do on cases?

interesting

[Zorra]

33. It certainly was not the law that caused them to appoint Bu*h to

his current illegitimate position.

What else could it be?
:shrug:

[treestar]

6. They can consider it service to their country

And leave to go back to the big $$ after a time and let someone else provide the service.

:nopity:

And then they sit there and decree that we have to do their clerical work for them, saying "isn't it nice to be a judge" (and be able to order others to do whatever you want, or so they give their employees reason to think).

[Maine-ah]

7. from same article:

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures for 2006, federal appeals court judges had salaries of $175,100; district court judges had salaries of $165,200, the same as senators and representatives.

Congress has provided for occasional cost-of-living increases over the years.

Federal judges with limited jurisdiction, such as magistrates and bankruptcy court judges, had salaries of $149,132.

Each of the eight associate justices on the Supreme Court makes $203,000 per year. Roberts, the highest-paid federal judge, has a salary of $212,100.


+*************************************
um, fuck no. If you can't live on the minimum of 165k per year........
:banghead:

[DS1]

42. They're getting paid enough

if you can't live on 8,000 a month after taxes, you suck

[aquart]

8. You want money? QUIT.

[AZ Criminal JD]

9. Typical boss reponse

People like to complain about the judicial system but they don't want to pay for quality judges. If they are not paid the quality will continue to go down and vacancies will continue to go up. And people wonder why cases take so long. Grow up.

[Mz Pip]

13. No one forced Roberts to take the job

and he knew what the payscale was going into the position. He could do quite well in the private sector if he chose and I'm sure there would be plenty of decent judges who would be more than happy to take his place if they could, in spite of the carppy pay.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[AZ Criminal JD]

18. He is not speaking for himself

His main point, and one every Chief Justice addresses every year for many years, is that federal judges especially at the district level are very underpaid. When first year lawyers in some cities make as much or more than a federal district judge it is absurd. You are very correct that there will always be someone who will take the job. Is that really who you want dispensing justice in federal courts -- "someone"? That goodness all of our candidates agree federal judges pay should be increased. You will have to find another party to carry your agenda.

[Mz Pip]

23. My agenda???

And what would that be?

Are you assuming that those who go into public service are Rwers? Hardly.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[AZ Criminal JD]

34. You should read more carefully

It is the right wing who wants to starve the government and doesn't want to pay anyone who works for government. Tell me a Democratic candidate who agrees with you. You can't.

[Thor_MN]

27. You really want judges who are motivated by money?

[AZ Criminal JD]

35. Since I want judges who are rational humans, yes

[Nederland]

38. Better than judges motivated by politics

That all we need, more judges that accept the position only because it's a way to shape the law according to their own political ideology.

[aquart]

25. Sweetie, quality can't go further down than dear Justice Roberts.

Wait. Maybe it could slide to Scalia. I would be perfectly happy to tell the Chief Justice that NO salary would be raised for judges while any Bush appointees remain on the bench. I'm just that fucking mean.

[AZ Criminal JD]

36. Sweetie, this has nothing to do with Roberts

Federal judges have been underpaid, as they were in the Clinton administration, for about 20 years now. The quality of federal judges has been going down and the time to get a case through the federal system has increased dramatically. The federal system has hundreds of judges. Federal judges have helped get many of our issues through when Congress has ignored them. You want to end that.

[truebrit71]

41. No-one forced Roberts to take the job....just like in the real world...want to get paid more...

...get a new job...

No different for these high and mighty assholes...

[wellst0nev0ter]

11. Real Average Pay Increased By 19 Percent?

And once again, if Bill Gates walks into a bar and gets a year-end pay-hike of 19 percent, I'll bet the average pay of every other bar patron would increase by at least that much as well :eyes:

[LiberalFighter]

12. They are not being forced to be judges

How many of them are chauffeured to and from their courts?

How many of them have security paid by taxpayers?

How many of them receive speaking fees?

How many of them receive other benefits when speaking before groups?

How many of them have investments that they make rulings that are not reported?

[MilesColtrane]

17. Hey, those robes aren't cheap! n/t

[LiberalFighter]

20. They be cheaper if they didn't wear anything expensive underneath.

Like they don't need to wear expensive suits, shirts, watches, jewelry, or ties.

[Joe Bacon]

29. Oh no!!!!!!!!

Just the thought of Scalia wearing a Speedo under his robes :puke:

[LiberalFighter]

31. Yes that would be gross

Just like those PROfessional wrestlers wearing frilly stuff like boas like women do.

[baldguy]

14. Damn Commie.

[humbled_opinion]

15. Give me a break...

Where's my raise? give the American people a real raise before any ass in Congress or judgships get more money... this is just rediculous its taxpayer money for Christ sake.

[AZ Criminal JD]

19. What right wing crap

Should we pay them minimum wage? Maybe not even that. After all it's public service which in the minds of some is public slavery.

[atreides1]

30. As Super Chicken Said to Fred

"You knew the job was dangerous when you took it"!!!

The SCOTUS are federal workers and as such get pay raises accordingly, they do a job and they get paid for it. If Mr. Roberts wants to make the money of a 1st year lawyer then he can always step down from the bench and get a position with a private law firm, the same goes for any federal judge.

The point is that they get benefits that most 1st year lawyers don't see, if the pay and the benefits are not enough then don't become a judge, remain a trial lawyer. They are public servants as are all federal workers, not public slaves, slaves don't get paid, they get treated like chattel, like property, and slaves can't quit they have to be sold or die.

[AZ Criminal JD]

32. You need to join the Ron Paul website

He is the only candidate who may agree with you. You don't have a any idea about what you are talking about. First, Roberts wasn't talking about SC justices in the main and certainly not about himself. He was talking about federal district court judges and appellate court judges. Second, you are wrong. They are not federal employees and have never been considered such and don't receive the raises federal employees receive.

[closeupready]

40. So far, you are alone in concurring with Roberts. Feeling lonely?

:rofl:

[AZ Criminal JD]

43. Nope

I apparently don't have your emotional insecurity.

[Joe Bacon]

46. SUPER CHICKEN??????????????

Holy Henry Cabot HenHouse the 3rd!!!!!!!!!

[struggle4progress]

21. Greedy lil mofo, ain't he?

[Sultana]

24. Nope

They aren't even doing a good job.

[Earth_First]

26. "During the same time, the real pay of the average American worker increased by about 19 percent."

:rofl:

[Joe Bacon]

28. ...and housing costs went up 75%...

Don't even talk to me about cars. My first car was a 1970 1/2 AMC Gremlin which I bought new for $1,970.50.

Now, that buys you only half a Segway...

[closeupready]

44. ... bought on ebay.

:rofl:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

45. Why don't they form a fucking union?