Appeals Court pay
Appeals Court salaries, as of July 1, 2014
NATION
Highest:
California $211,260
Illinois $203,806
Hawaii $194,724
Pennsylvania $188,903
Alaska $187,236
Lowest
New Mexico $124,616
Mississippi $124,939
Oregon $127,820
Idaho $130,000
Kentucky $130,044
The South
Alabama $178,878
Virginia $173,177
Tennessee $171,108
Georgia $166,186
Florida $154,140
Louisiana $152,091
South Carolina $140,508
North Carolina $134,109
Kentucky $130,044
Mississippi $124,939
Source: “The Survey of Judicial Salaries” by the National Center for State Courts
Judicial pay
House Bill 279 would give $12,000 raises to judges on the Georgia Supreme and Appeals courts. Below are the current state salaries for the judges and what they could go to if the bill passes:
GEORGIA SUPREME COURT
Current state salary: $167,210
State salary with requested raise: $179,210
GEORGIA COURT OF APPEALS
State salary: $166,186
State salary with requested raise: $178,186
Source: House Bill 279
Comprehensive coverage
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has Georgia’s largest team at the Gold Dome for this year’s legislative session. To find the most expertise on issues that matter to taxpayers, go to myAJC.com/georgialegislature.
The Georgia House on Wednesday overwhelmingly backed $12,000 raises for the state’s top judges and pay increases for some other judges, district attorneys and public defenders.
The big raises come at a time when lawmakers are offering state agencies 1 percent more to give raises to other employees. Georgia’s 100,000 teachers may also get cost-of-living increases. That decision will be made by local school boards.
The House approved the pay raise 142-21. The measure, House Bill 279, now heads to the Senate.
Supporters of the judicial raise measure in the General Assembly — and judges — say the extra money is needed to make sure top lawyers seek out judgeships when there are openings. The state, however, seldom has a shortage of lawyers applying to be judges.
Opponents questioned the size of the raises — 7 percent for Supreme Court justices and Appeals Court judges and 10 percent to 25 percent for some Superior Court judges.
“This is significantly higher than what our teachers and state employees are getting,” said Rep. Rusty Kidd, I-Milledgeville.
Supreme Court justices and Appeals Court judges would get $12,000 raises under HB 279. That would increase the pay of Supreme Court justices to $179,210. Appeals Court judges would receive $178,186 a year. Members of the courts haven’t seen raises since 1999, when Gov. Roy Barnes, a trial lawyer, ran the state.
A judicial pay raise bill was passed by the General Assembly in 2008, only to be vetoed by then-Gov. Sonny Perdue.
Originally, the HB 279 also gave $12,000 raises to all Superior Court judges. Some lawmakers, however, complained about the disparity in pay among Superior Court judges, most of whom receive county supplements ranging from $5,000 a year to more than $65,000 annually. So some judges in South Georgia make $120,000-$125,000 a year, while judges in Marietta, Augusta and Savannah can make $185,000 or more.
Local supplements are regularly approved by the General Assembly, often sponsored by lawyer-legislators who may have to appear before the judges in court. Some Superior Court judges, especially those in metro areas, are paid more than members of the Supreme Court and Appeals Court, which are considered higher courts in the judicial hierarchy.
House Bill 279 would grant a pay increase to Superior Court judges who receive local supplements of less than $30,000. Judges in about one-half of the state’s circuits fall into that category. Essentially, the increase would set a $150,000 minimum salary for Superior Court judges.
“What we are trying to do is bring up the judges that are below the state average,” said Rep. Jay Powell, R-Camilla, a lawyer who sponsored the measure.
The bill would also give raises to district attorneys who receive local supplements of less than $15,000 and hike the pay of public defenders by $15,000.
