You are correct. But here's my problem with this...judges, as well as politicians..beg, borrow and steal to get elected and judges GROVEL to get appointed. They do know the salary up front. But this is why we get the kinds of people we do. Really great minds, who can make double or triple that in the private sector, and who don't crave the power (the ones we REALLY want), won't take the pay cut.
Give me a break. San Diego housing is expensive but no where near the point any six figure salary isn't sufficient to find a home. They won't be stuck living in Barrio Logan or Linda Vista.
Move the supreme court to West Virginia and its justices will be fabulously compensated compared to almost everyone else, and might learn a little something about what this country is all about. They certainly won't learn anything like that in law school.
They are barely scraping by ping.
1st year associates in New York City after bonus make more than a federal district judge.