An Act To Increase Judicial Salaries
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0487
Committee: Judiciary
Amends: 4 MRSA §4, 4 MRSA §102, 4 MRSA §157

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
The following document is provided by the 
LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY 
at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library 
http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib 
Reproduced from scanned originals with text recognition applied 
(searchable text may contain some errors and/or omissions) 
n 
:... 
~'~~I~ 7f~~ 
""""' 
'! n ff ! 'Se·!l"I, p, vv~ 
I": t~KiJrt.' "/-Y rl 
itl 
~··l £~, ~!\fit; 
• 
~~ 
~J,::-! '!c1!: • .1 '.Jr~. 
124th MAl E LEGISLATURE 
Legislative Document 
No. 487 
S.P. 183 
In Senate, February 10, 2009 
An Act To Increase Judicial Salaries 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reported by Senator BLISS of Cumberland for the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary 
pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 4, section 1701, subsection 13. 
Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered plinted under Joint Rule 
218. 
Primed 1111 n:~~l:IL'd p~lpl·r 
9r~(J~ 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjoumment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, current salaries for members of Maine's judiciary are among the lowest in 
the nation; and 
Whereas, the annual cost-of-living increases for judicial salaries required by law 
have not been implemented on a regular basis, thereby causing judicial salaries to lag 
behind intended salary levels recommended by the Judicial Compensation Commission in 
previous reports to the Legislature dating back to 1996; and 
Whereas, it is the recommendation of the Judicial Compensation Commission that 
increases in judicial salaries become effective July 1, 2009; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 4 MRSA §4, sub-§ 1, as amended by PL 1997, c. 643, Pt. M, § 1, is further 
amended to read: 
1. Chief justice; salary. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court is entitled 
to receive a salary, for fiscal year 1998 992009-10 and thereafter, of $111,000 $151,074, 
to be paid biweekly. 
. 
Sec. 2. 4 MRSA §4, sub-§2, ~A, as repealed and replaced by PL 1997, c. 643, Pt. 
M, §2, is amended to read: 
A. 
For fiscal year 1998 99 2009-10 and thereafter, $96,000 $130,659, to be paid 
biweekly. 
Sec. 3. 4 MRSA §102, sub-§I, as amended by PL 1997, c. 643, Pt. M, §4, is 
further amended to read: 
1. Chief justice; salary. The Chief Justice of the Superior Court is entitled to 
receive a salary, for fiscal year 1998 992009-10 and thereafter, of $94,000 $127,937, to 
be paid biweekly. 
Sec. 4. 4 MRSA §102, sub-§2, ~A, as repealed and replaced by PL 1997, c. 643, 
Pt. M, §5, is amended to read: 
A. 
For fiscal year 1998 99 2009-10 and thereafter, $90,000 $122,493, to be paid 
biweekly. 
Sec. 5. 4 MRS A §157, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1997, c. 643, Pt. M, §7, is 
further amended to read: 
') 
). 
./ 
) 
(f) 
L: 
2. Chief Judge; salary. The Chief Judge of the District Court is entitled to receive a 
salary, for fiscal year 1998 99 2009-10 and thereafter, of $94,000 $127,937, to be paid 
biweekly. 
Sec. 6. 4 MRSA §157, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1997, c. 643, Pt. M, §8, is 
fmiher amended to read: 
3. Deputy Chief Judge; salary. The Deputy Chief Judge of the District Court is 
entitled to receive a salary, for fiscal year 1998 99 2009-10 and thereafter, of $92,000 
$125,215, to be paid biweekly. 
Sec. 7. 4 MRSA §157, sub-§4, €jfA, as repealed and replaced by PL 1997, c. 643, 
Pt. M, §9, is amended to read: 
A. 
For fiscal year 1998 99 2009-10 and thereafter, $90,000 $122,493, to be paid 
biweekly. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
TIns bill, submitted by the Judicial Compensation Commission as part of its 
December 2008 report to the Legislature, increases judicial salaries to levels that would 
have been ac1neved if the recommendations made in the commission's 1996 report had 
been fully implemented.