Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. calls for a raise for federal judges.

According to Justice Roberts, in 1969,federal judges earned substantially more than the dean and the senior professors at Harvard Law School while today federal judges are paid about half of what the deans and senior law professors at top schools are paid.

During the same period, the average U.S. worker’s wage, adjusted for inflation, has risen about 18%. By contrast, the pay for a federal judge has declined about 24% compared with inflation.

Federal judges, who have lifetime appointments, "do not expect to receive salaries commensurate with what they could easily earn in the private sector," Roberts acknowledged that judges in many cities know that lawyers fresh out of law school will earn more than they do.

Roberts did not indicate how much he thought judges should be paid.

The chief justice, who heads the federal judicial system, faces an uphill fight in persuading Congress to boost the salaries of judges. That’s because in the last 20 years, the pay rates for judges have been tied to those of members of Congress.

In 2006, senators, representatives and federal district judges were paid $165,200. That was $3,100 more than in 2005.

Judges on the U.S. appeals courts were paid $175,100. The eight associate justices of the Supreme Court earned $203,000, and the chief justice made $212,100.

The Democratic takeover of Congress may work to the advantage of the judiciary, however.

Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein of California, Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont and John F. Kerry of Massachusetts sponsored a bill last year that would have increased judges’ salaries by 16%.

About The Author:
Attorney Ted Bills can be reached at 719.444.1000 or at http://www.SpringsAttorney.com.

Attorney Ted Bills has one mission – to fight for the rights of victims, the wrong accused, and those who have been devastated by the misconduct of others – he represents clients with an aggressive approach designed to provide SWIFT justice.

Attorney Ted Bills practices Auto Accident (Car, Truck, and Motorcycle crash), DUI, Personal Injury, and Criminal – Traffic Violation law in Colorado Springs, CO and is a member of the American Bar Association, the Colorado Bar Association, the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the El Paso County (Colorado Springs) Bar Association. He works in tandem with his clients to provide assertive, business-savvy, legal services that solve problems, reduce delays, and minimize costs.

Nothing on this site constitutes an attorney-client relationship nor does it constitute legal advice. Links are for informational purposes and do not represent endorsement by Attorney Ted Bills.