Show me more money? USSCJ Roberts wants more

[babylonsister]

He complained last year, too, iirc.

Chief justice: Inflation outpacing pay for judges
Chief justice says Congress should give judges same inflation-related pay hike it is getting

MARK SHERMAN
AP News

Dec 31, 2008 18:11 EST


Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday that Congress should be as generous to judges as it already has been to itself, by approving an inflation-related increase in their pay. "I must renew the judiciary's modest petition: Simply provide cost-of-living increases that have been unfairly denied," Roberts said in his annual year-end report on the federal judiciary.

Alone among federal employees, judges will not receive a cost-of-living allowance in 2009. Members of Congress are getting a 2.8 percent boost, worth $4,700. But they refused before Christmas to give an identical increase to judges.

Federal trial judges are paid $169,300 a year. Appellate judges make more, ranging up to Roberts' salary of $217,400. The salaries pale in comparison to what top lawyers earn in private practice.

Roberts also has pointed out that the 678 full-time trial judges who form the backbone of the federal judiciary are paid about half that of deans and senior law professors at top schools.

But the job has its advantages: Judges have lifetime job security and can retire at full salary at age 65 if they have 15 years on the bench.

more...

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/12/chief_justice_inflation_outpac.php

[dysfunctional press]

1. if he's not happy with the pay, he can always quit and get something that pays better...

no problem.

[sam sarrha]

3. if he wants Lawyer pay.. he can QUIT and be n F'n Lawyer.. he's a sleaze bag anyway

[Vickers]

2. Pay raises are based on merit.

Hint hint.

:P

[babylonsister]

4. Ha! If that were only true! nt

[sam sarrha]

6. thought Supreme court Appointments were based on Merit, ReThuglican appointments proved that wrong

[stray cat]

5. Almost no Americans get cost of living increases that even come close to inflation

maybe he needs to get out more and see how most American's live.

[glowing]

7. The reality is that they should be paid more.. then they are less likely to take bribes

and such.. but they would anyway if they have no scruples.. which is why the entire system needs a fine combing over to remove the rotten fruit.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. He can have my job

Selfish bastard. Let him do what I do for a day. At my pay.

[elehhhhna]

9. Wah. Quit.

[sniffa]

10. A man's gotta eat

[dsc]

11. I know this isn't popular but he is absolutely right

Federal judges are very important and for the most part, do a great job. We can't attract top talent to be low level federal judges if the pay is less than that of being dean of a law school or working in a firm. Unless you want a judicary filled with wealthy dillitantes or ideologues then this has to be solved.

[dems_rightnow]

13. It would be more popular if Ginsberg had suggested it.

Sometimes judgments are clouded by who said things......

[dsc]

14. that is true

I know Stevens has gone on record stating that the pay needs to be raised but it is Robert's job to officially ask for stuff like this.

[dems_rightnow]

12. The guy is actually right on this one.

They should get cost-of-living increases, like every other federal position. Nobody thinks federal judges should get the exorbitant incomes they can get in the "real world", but we still need to compete with the private sector.

Obviously, federal judges get some nice perks. If such decisions were PURELY wage based, there'd be no federal judges at all.