Roberts blasts inadequate pay for judges

Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | December 31, 2006 | PETE YOST

[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.

[Non-Sequitur]

Ah yes. Bush's 'conservative' choice. The one we had to have. It's not bad enough politicians are wasting money, now a Republican judge thinks $165,000+ is not enough to live on.

Be fair. It could have been Harriet Miers.

[indcons]

China is another option. However, the average ChiCom "judge" functions as the state executioner in his primary role.

[dennisw]

It's funny how whenever these types of threads get posted, people from rural Alabama pop up to sarcastically say things like, "Yeah, they look real underpaid to me!" The point is that all of these judges must live in expensive cities and maintain lifestyles commensurate with their offices - and given the huge qualifications needed for these judgeships, many could easily command a million dollars a year or more at a private law firm.

What flipping BS! How about they work hard in the private sector for 20 years. make the big money so their they can send their children to law school to become rat bastard lawyers.... Then they become a judge with a great pension. Great retirement package for later on

[NY.SS-Bar9]

Why do we need top "legal minds" to read the damn law and make decisions based on it

When we expect these fine "legal minds" to discover new applications for plainly written English, we are begging for trouble.

Having said that, 165K is not a lot of money in any US metro area.

[Mo1]

yes they can't be impeached .. but it's not an easy thing to do

I'm trying to say judges shouldn't rec'd a pay raise .. just pointing out that not all deserve one

[Beagle8U]

"Actually there WAS a long list of judges who asked NOT to be considered for the last two vacancies."

I wonder if it was because of pay or the grilling in the Senate?

It may well be a problem, I just haven't seen it reported as such until lately.

[misterrob]

If you want the most talented people to work for us then we need to pay them accordingly. They need not be paid like CEOs or athletes but $200K a year in the District for someone who can earn 3x's that in private practice is not sucha great deal.

[Mo1]

grrrrr .. I hate making typos

yes they can't be impeached = yes they can be impeached

[misterrob]

Lifetime positions they are. The courts should not be turning over very often otherwise our society has no supprt structure behind it when the latest fad thinking comes into vogue.

[Non-Sequitur]

And why should the best people accept judgeships if they have to take huge paycuts and live well below their ability in the private sectors? If you want the best, you need to pay for it. Otherwise, mediocre people will be the only ones willing to accept the positions.

John Edwards was making millions as a trial lawyer in North Carolina. John Roberts was making less than 200 grand as an appeals court judge. Does that mean that Edwards is a better candidate for the Supreme Court bench than Roberts?

The people arguing for low pay for judges are the same ones who would never make that argument for the private sector.

No, they're the ones realizing that there is a difference between the two. Judges make a good salary. Is it higher than in private life? No, but they aren't going on foodstamps any time soon, either. There are many reasons to become a judge. Money shouldn't be one of them.

[misterrob]

Amen to that. Too many class warfare Freepers out there this morning.

[EDINVA]

"165K is not a lot of money in any US metro area."

sure isn't .... the new, top law school grads can expect salaries not far below a District Court judge. Said new lawyer might also easily have $100K or more in college loans to pay off.

In Roberts' case, I assume he took an 80% cut in pay to serve on SCOTUS. And am grateful he did.

How many successful lawyers with a family to raise are willing to do that? Unlike the law professors and/or deans judges and Justices don't get a break in their own kids' college tuitions.

And, as I recall, Mrs. Frankfurter died nearly penniless. The benes for Justices are really pathetic, given their importance to our form of government.

[misterrob]

Do you live in DC or surrounding areas? If you did then you would know that $200K is not a significant amount of money.

[atomicpossum]

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.

Ah, yes, but there is the perk of God-like power.

[L98Fiero]

Basing the salary of Federal judges on what hot-shot ambulance chasers can make is not a fair comparison.

I't like saying the IT guy is terribly underpaid becuase Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are millionaires. If we don't start paying IT guys millions, all the good technology will be in the private sector.

[Earthdweller]

OK....these guys didn't check the pay scales for these jobs before they took them?

Some people are just not disciplined enough to stay on a budget. Sheesh.

That said, bribes are likely at these rates. Heck, bribes are just plain likely.

Seriously, poney up a 3% increase anyway. Everyone is entitled to that.

[TexasChip]

Outsource the court to India.

I like that. And maybe some H1-B visas are needed for this crisis. Bring in a ton more lawyers from foreign lands to bring down the costs of administering justice.

[cinives]

Judges are often appointed - they don't have to serve. No one is holding a gun to their heads to make them take the job.

They trade money for prestige.

Actually, we'd be much better off if judges were limited to just a few years in office. Then we could get rid of the idiots we now have for life.

[Mojave]

Give 'em an extra hundred grand a year if they agree to at will employment.

[L98Fiero]

"Do you live in DC or surrounding areas? If you did then you would know that $200K is not a significant amount of money."

The fiscal retardation of that part of the country is not my problem.