Wielding a gavel may give you power, but if you live in Hawaii it doesn’t make you rich. That’s according to a report from the National Center For State Courts (NCSC), which found that as of July 2010 the Aloha State’s judges rank dead last in pay, adjusted for cost of living.
Hawaii’s high court judges earn $151,118 a year, intermediate appellate court judges earn $139,924 and general-jurisdiction trial judges earn $136,127. That ranks near the middle of the pack, but when the state’s high expenses are factored in local judges plummet to 51st in the nation, behind every other state and the District of Columbia.
Illinois was number one, with an adjusted average salary more than $100,000 higher than Hawaii, but the report found judges nationwide are feeling the pinch. “Stagnant tax revenue collections, brought on by decreased economic activity, continue to limit government spending,” wrote NCSC. “The impact on judicial alaries is clearly being felt throughout state court systems.”
Comments
comments