Federal judge salaries in the United States

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Federal judge salaries in the United States are determined by the United States Congress and are governed in part by the United States Constitution, depending in part on the court on which the judge sits. In particular, United States federal judges confirmed under Article III of the Constitution have compensation that "shall not be diminished during their continuance in office."[1] Other federal judges have salaries that may be adjusted without direct constitutional constraints, however statutory schemes usually govern these salaries. Debates over judicial salaries and their increase and treatment have occurred since the ratification of the Constitution.

Compensation varies based upon the particular judgeship, though it generally increases commensurate with the office.

Article III judges[]

Article III federal judges are those appointed under Article III, Section 1 of the U.S Constitution. Due to the Compensation Clause, these judges are federal judges that may not have their salaries diminished during their time in office, and are appointed to indefinite terms and may not be removed unless they resign or are impeached.

Supreme Court[]

The United States Supreme Court is the highest federal appellate court. Its members are commonly called justices.

The following table lists annual salary increases for the justices from 1789 to present.

Year Chief Justice Associate Justices 2020 inflation adjusted figures[2]
Chief Justice Associate Justice
1789 $4,000 $3,500 Data not available Data not available
1819 $5,000 $4,500 $84,533 $76,079
1855 $6,500 $6,000 $180,538 $166,650
1871 $8,500 $8,000 $183,624 $172,822
1873 $10,500 $10,000 $226,829 $216,028
1903 $13,000 $12,500 $374,448 $360,046
1911 $15,000 $14,500 $416,625 $402,738
1926 $20,500 $20,000 $299,678 $292,368
1946 $25,500 $25,000 $338,419 $331,783
1955 $35,500 $35,000 $342,961 $338,130
1964 $40,000 $39,500 $333,777 $329,605
1969 $62,500 $60,000 $441,073 $423,430
1975 $65,600 $63,000 $315,505 $303,000
1976 $68,800 $66,000 $312,899 $300,165
1977 $75,000 $72,000 $320,305 $307,493
1978 $79,100 $76,000 $313,857 $301,557
1979 $84,700 $81,300 $302,023 $289,899
1980 $92,400 $88,700 $290,224 $278,603
1981 $96,800 $93,000 $275,554 $264,737
1982 $100,700 $96,700 $270,050 $259,323
1984 $104,700 $100,600 $260,811 $250,598
1985 $108,400 $104,100 $260,838 $250,491
1987 $111,700 $107,200 $254,450 $244,199
1987 $115,000 $110,000 $261,967 $250,577
1990 $124,000 $118,600 $245,631 $234,934
1991 $160,600 $153,600 $305,152 $291,851
1992 $166,200 $159,000 $306,506 $293,228
1993 $171,500 $164,100 $307,246 $293,989
1998 $175,400 $167,900 $278,499 $266,590
2000 $181,400 $173,600 $272,608 $260,886
2001 $186,300 $178,300 $272,290 $260,597
2002 $192,600 $184,400 $277,123 $265,324
2003 $198,600 $190,100 $279,398 $267,440
2004 $203,000 $194,300 $278,141 $266,221
2005 $208,100 $199,200 $275,753 $263,960
2006 $212,100 $203,000 $272,285 $260,603
2008 $217,400 $208,100 $261,317 $250,138
2009 $223,500 $213,900 $269,607 $258,027
2010 $223,500 $213,900 $265,246 $253,853
2011 $223,500 $213,900 $257,124 $246,080
2012 $223,500 $213,900 $251,944 $241,122
2013 $223,500 $213,900 $248,309 $237,643
2014 $255,500 $244,400 $279,312 $269,801
2015 $258,100 $246,800 $281,798 $269,460
2016 $260,700 $249,300 $281,124 $268,831
2017 $263,300 $251,800 $277,991 $265,850
2018 $267,000 $255,300 $275,173 $263,115
2019 $270,700 $258,900 $274,012 $262,068
2020 $277,700 $265,600 $277,700 $265,600
2021 $280,500 $268,300 N/A N/A
2022 $286,700 $274,200 N/A N/A

Appeals Court[]

The following is a list of salaries for judges on the United States Court of Appeals.

Year Salary 2020 inflation adjusted figures[2]
1891 $6,000 Data not available
1903 $7,000 $201,626
1919 $8,500 $126,880
1926 $12,500 $182,730
1946 $17,500 $232,248
1955 $25,500 $246,352
1964 $33,000 $275,366
1969 $42,500 $299,930
1975 $44,600 $214,505
1976 $46,800 $212,844
1977 $57,500 $245,567
1978 $60,700 $240,849
1979 $65,000 $231,777
1980 $70,900 $222,694
1981 $74,300 $211,505
1982 $77,300 $207,297
1984 $80,400 $200,279
1985 $83,200 $200,200
1987 $85,700 $195,222
1987 $95,000 $216,407
1990 $102,500 $203,042
1991 $132,700 $252,140
1992 $137,300 $253,209
1993 $141,700 $253,859
1998 $145,000 $230,230
2000 $149,900 $225,270
2001 $153,900 $224,935
2002 $159,100 $228,921
2003 $164,000 $230,721
2004 $167,600 $229,638
2005 $171,800 $227,652
2006 $175,100 $224,786
2008 $179,500 $215,761
2009 $184,500 $222,562
2010 $184,500 $218,962
2011 $184,500 $212,257
2012 $184,500 $207,980
2013 $184,500 $204,980
2014 $211,200 $230,883
2015 $213,300 $232,884
2016 $215,400 $232,275
2017 $217,600 $229,741
2018 $220,600 $227,353
2019 $223,700 $226,437
2020 $229,500 $229,500
2021 $231,800 N/A
2022 $236,900 N/A

District Court[]

The following is a table of district judge salaries in the United States. District judge salaries varied based on the state prior to 1891. They were unified in 1891.

Year Minimum Maximum 2020 inflation adjusted figures[2]
Salaries of US district judges 1789–1867
1789 $800 $1,800 Data not available Data not available
1812 $800 $3,000 $12,199 $45,747
1816 $800 $3,100 $12,199 $47,272
1817 $800 $3,000 $12,962 $48,606
1830 $1,200 $3,500 $29,164 $85,061
1844 $1,200 $3,800 $33,330 $105,545
1847 $1,200 $3,500 $33,330 $97,213
1852 $1,200 $5,000 $37,330 $155,540
1854 $1,200 $3,500 $34,564 $100,813
1860 $1,200 $6,300 $34,564 $172,822
1862 $1,200 $3,500 $31,108 $90,732
1866 $1,200 $4,500 $21,210 $79,538
1867 $3,500 $5,000 $64,808 $92,583
Year Salary 2020 inflation adjusted figures[2]
Salaries of US district judges 1891–present
1891 $5,000 $144,019
1903 $6,000 $172,822
1919 $7,500 $111,953
1926 $10,000 $146,184
1946 $15,000 $199,070
1955 $22,500 $217,370
1964 $30,000 $250,333
1969 $40,000 $282,287
1975 $42,000 $202,000
1976 $44,000 $200,110
1977 $54,500 $232,755
1978 $57,500 $228,152
1979 $61,500 $219,296
1980 $67,100 $210,758
1981 $70,300 $200,118
1982 $73,100 $196,034
1984 $76,000 $189,318
1985 $78,700 $189,372
1987 $81,100 $184,744
1987 $89,500 $203,879
1990 $96,600 $191,355
1991 $125,100 $237,699
1992 $129,500 $238,824
1993 $133,600 $239,347
1998 $136,700 $217,051
2000 $141,300 $212,346
2001 $145,100 $212,073
2002 $150,000 $215,828
2003 $154,700 $217,638
2004 $158,100 $216,622
2005 $162,100 $214,798
2006 $165,200 $212,077
2008 $169,300 $203,500
2009 $174,000 $209,896
2010 $174,000 $206,501
2011 $174,000 $200,177
2012 $174,000 $196,144
2013 $174,000 $193,314
2014 $199,100 $217,655
2015 $201,100 $219,564
2016 $203,100 $219,011
2017 $205,100 $216,544
2018 $208,000 $214,367
2019 $210,900 $213,480
2020 $216,400 $216,400
2021 $218,600 N/A
2022 $223,400 N/A

Court of International Trade[]

See also: United States Court of International Trade

According to the Federal Judiciary Center, Court of International Trade judges receive the same salary as district court judges.[3]

Non Article III judges[]

Magistrate judges[]

Since 1988, the salary of magistrate judges is set by the Judicial Conference of the United States, but may not exceed 92 percent of the salary of district court judges.[4]

Bankruptcy judges[]

Since 1988, bankruptcy judges receive compensation equal to 92 percent of the salary of district judges. [5]

Administrative Law Judges[]

United States Administrative Law Judges are hired in the pay category of AL 3A and proceed on an annual basis through the steps until they reach AL 3F. The base pay for each step varies according to the location of the position and the locality pay paid in that area. This chart explains the various salary grades. Due to wage compression and the lack of any federal pay increases, most USALJs earn $168,600 annually as of 2015. ALJ pay is capped at 85% of a Level IV Senior Executive Schedule. This pay cap has resulted in severe pay compression for USALJs. As a result, many USALJs have retired or plan to retire within the next few years, resulting in a loss of experienced judges throughout the federal government. Congress has shown no interest in addressing the pay compression issue.

Tax Court judges[]

Judges of the Tax Court receive the same compensation as district court judges.[6]

Court of Federal Claims judges[]

Since 1988, judges of the Court of Federal Claims receive the same compensation as district court judges.[7]

Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces[]

Judges of the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces receive the same compensation as judges of the circuit courts of appeals.[8]

Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims[]

Judges of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims receive the same compensation as district court judges.[9]

United States Court of Private Land Claims[]

United States Court for Berlin[]

Territorial judges[]

Territorial Courts are created under Article IV and exist in U.S. Territories. Only three currently exist. Compensation is fixed at the rate of regular district court judges.

Hybrid courts and others[]

District of Columbia courts[]

See also: Superior Court of the District of Columbia and District of Columbia Court of Appeals

United States Commerce Court[]

The United States Commerce Court sat from 1910 to 1913. It had a staggered and limited-term membership, but consisted of Article III Appellate Court judges that would be at-large judges when not on the Court.

United States Court of Claims[]

The United States Court of Claims was a court that served from 1855 to 1982. It existed as both an Article I and Article III court (after 1953).

Court of Customs and Patent Appeals[]

The Court of Customs and Patent Appeals was a court sitting from 1909 to 1982. Its treatment as an Article I or Article III court is ambiguous; it was originally ruled an Article I court, however it was later ruled an Article III court after Congress amended the law creating it.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ U.S. Constitution, Art III, Sec 1.
  2. ^ a b c d 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  3. ^ "History of the Federal Judiciary". Federal Judiciary Center. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  4. ^ "History of the Federal Judiciary". Federal Judiciary Center. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  5. ^ "28 U.S.C. § 153". Cornell University Law School. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  6. ^ "26 U.S.C. § 7443". Cornell University Law School. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  7. ^ "28 U.S.C. § 172". Cornell University Law School. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  8. ^ "10 U.S.C. § 942". Cornell University Law School. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  9. ^ "38 U.S.C. § 7253". Cornell University Law School. Retrieved 11 January 2014.

Notes[]

External links[]

Retrieved from ""