SBM and Supreme Court respond to Judicial salary increase recommendation

By Roberta M. Gubbins Legal News The State Officers Compensation Commission (SOCC) recommended recently that the Michigan Supreme Court justices get a raise of 3% in 2013 and another 3% in 2014. Since the salaries of all judges are tied to the Supreme Court salaries, a raise for the justices means an increase for all the judges in the state. While the recommendation is valid since the justices and judges have not had a raise for ten years, it is not likely to pass muster in the legislature, where raises must be approved by both houses and early reponses indicate passage would be difficult. The justices are already the highest paid elected state officials and the report leaves other official salaries unchanged and some reduced by 10%. The Supreme Court, supported by the Michigan Judges Association, the Michigan Probate Judges Association, the Michigan District Court Judges Association, and the Michigan Judicial Conference responded as follows: "The judges of Michigan appreciate that the State Officers Compensation Commission has recognized that a freeze on judicial compensation for over a decade is not good public policy. Our priority continues to be to make the justice system right-sized, smarter, more user-friendly and more accountable. We appreciate the recommendation for an increase in compensation. Given the continued budgetary situation of the state, however, we would understand if the legislature chose not to increase judicial salaries at this time. We are confident that as Michigan's recovery progresses, the issue will be revisited." The State Bar of Michigan commended the judges for putting the state's budget situation ahead of their own personal interests saying: "The State Bar of Michigan commends the judges of Michigan for putting the state's budget situation ahead of their own personal interests by urging the Legislature not to adopt the State Officers Compensation Commission's recommendation for increases in judicial salaries at this time. The judges have not had a pay increase since 2002 and like other public employees and officials in Michigan are dealing with decreasing benefits. While the SOCC recommendation is more than justified, the judges have recognized that the more urgent need is to make sure that the court system can function in this changing economy, serving the public more efficiently while protecting access to justice. In the long run, the court system will be undermined if judicial pay is allowed to stagnate indefinitely. This is not the right time to fix that problem." Published: Mon, Jun 13, 2011

––––––––––––––––––––
 Subscribe to the Legal News!
 https://test.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available