An Act To Increase Compensation for Active Retired Judges
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0731
Committee: Judiciary
Sponsors: KATZ, HOBBINS, BURNS, HILL, JOHNSON, MOONEN
Amends: 4 MRSA §6-B, 4 MRSA §104-A, 4 MRSA §157-D, 4 MRSA §183

Legislative Document 
No. 731 
S.P. 261 
In Senate, March 5, 2015 
An Act To Increase Compensation for Active Retired Judges 
Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator KATZ of Kennebec. 
Cosponsored by Representative HOBBINS of Saco and 
Senators: BURNS of Washington, HILL of York, JOHNSON of Lincoln, Representative: 
MOONEN of Portland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  4 MRSA §6-B, as amended by PL 2003, c. 290, §1, is further amended to 
read: 
§6-B.  Per diem compensation for Active Retired Justices of the Supreme Judicial 
Court 
Any Active Retired Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, who performs judicial 
service at the direction and assignment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, 
must be compensated for those services at the rate of $300 $500 per day or $175 $250 per 
1/2 day, provided that as long as the total per diem compensation and retirement pension 
received by an Active Retired Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court in any calendar year 
does not exceed 75% of the annual salary of a an Associate Justice of the Supreme 
Judicial Court set pursuant to section 4.  An Active Retired Justice of the Supreme 
Judicial Court who receives compensation under this section does not accrue additional 
creditable service for benefit calculation purposes and is not entitled to any other 
employee benefit, including health, dental and life insurance. 
Sec. 2.  4 MRSA §104-A, as amended by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. DDD, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
§104-A.  Per diem compensation for Active Retired Superior Court Justices 
Any Active Retired Justice of the Superior Court, who performs judicial service at 
the direction and assignment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, is 
compensated for those services at the rate of $300 $500 per day or $175 $250 per 1/2 day, 
provided that as long as the total per diem compensation and retirement pension received 
by an Active Retired Justice of the Superior Court in any calendar year does not exceed 
75% of the annual salary of a Justice of the Superior Court set pursuant to section 102.  
An Active Retired Justice of the Superior Court who receives compensation under this 
section does not accrue additional creditable service for benefit calculation purposes and 
is not entitled to any other employee benefit, including health, dental and life insurance. 
Sec. 3.  4 MRSA §157-D, as amended by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. DDD, §2, is further 
amended to read: 
§157-D.  Active retired judges; compensation 
Any Active Retired Judge of the District Court, who performs judicial service at the 
direction and assignment of the Chief Judge of the District Court, is compensated for 
those services at the rate of $300 $500 per day or $175 $250 per 1/2 day, provided that as 
long as the total per diem compensation and retirement pension received by an Active 
Retired Judge of the District Court in any calendar year does not exceed 75% of the 
annual salary of a an Associate Judge of the District Court set pursuant to section 157.  
An Active Retired Judge of the District Court who receives compensation under this 
section does not accrue additional creditable service for benefit calculation purposes and 
is not entitled to any other employee benefit, including health, dental and life insurance. 
Sec. 4.  4 MRSA §183, sub-§1, ¶H, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 159, §6, is 
amended to read: 
H.  The Chief Judge of the District Court may employ a retired family law magistrate 
to serve on a per diem basis as an active retired family law magistrate.  An active 
retired family law magistrate employed pursuant to this paragraph has the same 
jurisdiction and is subject to the same restrictions as before retirement.  An active 
retired family law magistrate serves at the direction of the Chief Judge of the District 
Court and is compensated at the a per diem rate of $250 per day or $150 per half-day, 
as long as the total of the per diem compensation and the active retired family law 
magistrate's state retirement pension received in any calendar year does not exceed 
the annual salary of a family law magistrate equal to 75% of the per diem rate paid to 
an Active Retired Judge of the District Court, as provided in section 157-D.  The total 
per diem compensation received by an active retired family law magistrate in any 
calendar year may not exceed 75% of the annual salary of a full-time family law 
magistrate set pursuant to paragraph B.  An active retired family law magistrate who 
receives compensation under this paragraph does not accrue additional creditable 
service for benefit calculation purposes and is not entitled to any other employee 
benefit, including health, dental and life insurance.  Active retired family law 
magistrates are entitled to receive reimbursement for any expenses actually and 
reasonably incurred in the performance of their duties. 
SUMMARY 
This bill raises the per diem compensation for active retired judges and justices from 
$300 per day to $500 per day.  It fixes the per diem compensation for active retired 
family law magistrates at 75% of the per diem compensation paid to active retired judges.  
It also limits per diem compensation received by an active retired judge, justice or family 
law magistrate in any calendar year to 75% of the annual salary of a full-time judge, 
justice or family law magistrate, respectively, and provides that an active retired judge, 
justice or family law magistrate does not accrue additional creditable service for benefit 
calculation purposes and is not entitled to any other employee benefit, including health, 
dental and life insurance.