Posted on 01/01/2007 7:26:14 AM PST by indcons
Pay for federal judges is so inadequate that it threatens to undermine the judiciary's independence, Chief Justice John Roberts says in a year-end report critical of Congress.
Issuing an eight-page message devoted exclusively to salaries, Roberts says the 678 full-time U.S. District Court judges, the backbone of the federal judiciary, are paid about half that of deans and senior law professors at top schools.
In the 1950s, 65 percent of U.S. District Court judges came from the practicing bar and 35 percent came from the public sector. Today the situation is reversed, Roberts said, with 60 percent from the public sector and less than 40 percent from private practice.
Federal district court judges are paid $165,200 annually; appeals court judges make $175,100; associate justices of the Supreme Court earn $203,000; the chief justice gets $212,100.
Thirty-eight judges have left the federal bench in the past six years and 17 in the past two years.
The issue of pay, says Roberts, "has now reached the level of a constitutional crisis."
"Inadequate compensation directly threatens the viability of life tenure, and if tenure in office is made uncertain, the strength and independence judges need to uphold the rule of law - even when it is unpopular to do so - will be seriously eroded," Roberts wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.nwsource.com ...
As was suggested above, there may be a sufficient number of those who consider being a judge a high enough honor to forego greater pay. Chief Justice Roberts appears to disagree on that point, and I suspect he has access to better numbers than any of us does.
Maybe he simply stands to gain personally from a pay hike.
So what is Judge Roberts sayin? If we double or triple the judges' pay, we'll get better judges? And what'll happen to the affirmative action (and other) mediocrities we have now? They'll go into corporate lawyering (he's implying)? Is that good? They won't go into law in the first place? They'll die of shame?
The capital of the nation wasa placed in a swamp and has remained so. Perhaps the founders hoped the bugs would induce shorter sesions?
Roberts puts a much simpler question: why wouldn't a top-flight practicing lawyer [like he himself used to be] decline a judgeship? In one case it is 1 million plus a year, and in another - 200K + tenure - confirmation circus.
So what is Roberts point? That good people won't take the pay cut like he did, or that he's an example of the low quality people you get for that price.
If money were the issue for Roberts he would have kept his prior job (or he could go back to it). Money for Roberts doesn't appear to be his concern. He wants judges he won't have to reverse all the time.
I really need to stop this nonsense because the only way for things to change is for the truth to be told and i can't blame people for wanting to get return on an investment such as a law degree. But, the banks judges and lawyers have tattered the quality of life for most of the planet, besides their own of course. Have incorporated the insurance companies and the Chinese Silver exchange, what a hoax.. Call AIG Greenburg is Great Kennedy Kerry Clinton's Bush Hello starting to get the picture.. I know I have.. I was a contractor with AIG Insurance I fell off a 4 foot ladder and broke my back in three places, never got more than 36000 for3 years and was earning close to 80,000 per had to sell home , live in motor home and can't work more than 20 hours in three days before I'm laid up for a week. Lost everything can't keep a job for more than 3 weeks at a time. and will never have the quality of life i deserve for 22 years of dedicated craftsmanship to the people who let me get bed sores 4 months before i could convince them i couldn't walk. Judge and two attorneys denied all claims workers comp wouldn't even pay for nerve pills for the seizures i have to this day and pain meds non effective. i forgot to mention 1 claims adjuster and an investigator that hid in the wood behind my former house to video tape mt door and i never came out for appearance because i was for all intents and purposes paralyzed. Year and a half later tried again for a week and i actually checked the mail twice. I bet they are not suffering to bad on their salaries. My life is fantastic because I haven't had to destroy anyone on my way out. I just hope that I don't live a full life in the never ending pain and mental torment I endure daily. So no matter what any politically twisted affairs go on I can't be assured daily what i have to look forward to baby will you put these shoes on for me? I really Love her for saving me, I surely would have starved to death in my bed before they sent their nurse to my bedside to tell me I was broke down from years of wear and tear at 36 years old and close to the best physical condition of my life.
If money were the issue for Roberts he would have kept his prior job (or he could go back to it). Money for Roberts doesn't appear to be his concern. He wants judges he won't have to reverse all the time.
Money may help although,didn't help education. Given that most judges are appointed by either Dems or moderate republicans, the judiciary is in a death spiral either way.
I love DC. If i could afford to live there, I would. However, I enjoy a nice standard of living in Dallas. If I moved to DC, then I would live in a Kenmore washer box somewhere on Connecticut Ave.
An umpire cannot play baseball at pro level [not qualified]. A judge could easily become a litigator. Your analogy does not apply. A judge [on resignation] could be lawyering the next day. A good lawyer [upon confirmation or election as a judge] could be judging the next day.
Both. he laments a scarcity of good people in his bailiwick.
So quit and get a real job. If you can't make it on $175K, tough. We would benefit tremendously if the ruling class had to live the way we lived.
I really don't have anything against raising their stipends. Even doubling them. I was reacting to Roberts' hysterical statement that they were so under paid that it was provoking a "constitutional crisis".
I'll do it for half that and I promise to actually read the constitution.
yeah, I could do a lot with that little pittance of a salary!
Free pie? Yes, please!
I wasn't real sure about this guy from the start. This pretty much seals the deal.
I know, huh? Absolutely ridiculous.
Maybe they should moonlight.
Why do people want to be judges other than the "serve my country" pat answer?
Because judges are in the critical position of deciding what stands and what falls. Such positions will never be taken lightly. Economic, social, and political interests will see to it that quality people apply.
And some individuals love to be in such decisive roles.
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