The New Jersey State Bar Association supports the judicial pay raise contained in S-1229
It has been over a decade since the people our society entrusts to resolve disputes have seen a salary increase, all the while the cost of living has risen and judges have seen their compensation diminished through the passage of the New Jersey Judicial Salary and Benefits Amendment.
The judicial pay provisions in S-1229 will go a long way toward maintaining the excellence for which the New Jersey courts are known, and will bolster the state’s ability to attract high quality legal scholars to the bench who have a rich diversity of professional and life experiences combined with a deep knowledge of the law. The measure will also bring New Jersey in line with several other states by providing automatic COLA increases to keep pace with inflation and thereby largely removing the question of judicial compensation from the sway of political influence.
To preserve the integrity of our court system for the benefit of our residents, we must have an independent and impartial Judiciary, a promise made to our citizens in our Constitution. Ensuring that judges are adequately compensated and their pay is not hostage to political pressures will help to keep that promise and keep the foundation of our system of government intact.
We urge you to vote in favor of S-1229 and support a judicial pay raise.