New York Judge Orders Lawmakers to Hike Judicial Pay
A New York judge has ordered the state legislature to increase the pay of state judges, which now stands at $136,700 a year for those at the trial level.
Judge Edward Lehner of Manhattan ruled the state legislature has abused its power and interfered with judicial independence by failing to give judges a raise since 1999, report the New York Times and the New York Law Journal. Lehner said the legislature violated the separation of powers by linking judicial pay raises with extraneous issues such as raises for lawmakers and campaign finance reform.
Lehner ruled in a suit filed by four state judges who say the cost of living has increased by 30 percent since their last pay raise. They contend judicial pay would have to be raised to $175,264 to keep pace with inflation.
Lehner is also slated to hear the suit seeking a pay raise on behalf of all the state’s judges that was filed by Chief Judge Judith Kaye.
A statement released by the office of Gov. David Paterson criticized the decision. “While the governor has long supported salary increases for judges, today’s opinion flies in the face of the state constitution, which makes clear that only the legislature has the power to set judicial salaries,” the statement said.
