2023 Maryland Statutes › Estates and Trusts › Title 2 - The Court › Subtitle 1 - The Probate Court › Section 2-108 - Judges' Compensation

(a)    (1)    Except in Montgomery County and Harford County, the judges of the courts shall receive compensation and allowances as prescribed by law.
(2)    Unless otherwise provided, the compensation shall be paid in monthly installments.
(3)    Mileage or travel expenses may not be allowed to a judge for attending sessions of the judge’s court except as specifically provided.
(b)    (1)    Each of the judges of the Court for Allegany County shall receive an annual salary set by the County Commissioners in accordance with Title 28, Subtitle 1 of the Local Government Article.
(2)    Each judge shall also receive an expense allowance in the amount of $600 annually, to be paid at the rate of $50 monthly.
(c)    (1)    Each of the judges of the Court for Anne Arundel County shall receive an annual compensation as set by the County Executive and the County Council.
(2)    Each judge shall also receive an expense allowance up to $150 per month for personal expenses incidental to the judge’s duties, to be paid by the Comptroller of Anne Arundel County each month on presentation of an itemized voucher in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Comptroller.
(d)    (1)    (i)    Each judge of the Court of Baltimore City shall receive an annual compensation as determined by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City.
(ii)    Each judge who was in active service on or after January 1, 1984, shall be paid after the termination of active service, if the judge is then at least 60 years of age or when the judge shall attain 60 years of age, a pension or salary as determined by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City.
(2)    (i)    The surviving spouse of every elected judge of the Court of Baltimore City shall be paid one–half of the pension to which the judge’s spouse was entitled at the time of the judge’s death, or would have become entitled to by reason of attaining 60 years of age.
(ii)    In each instance, the pension shall be paid to the spouse until remarriage or death.
(iii)    The provisions of this subsection shall not apply in the case of a spouse who was married to a sitting judge for a period of less than 3 years before the judge’s death, and to a retired judge for a period less than 3 years before the judge’s retirement.
(e)    Each of the judges of the Court for Baltimore County shall receive an annual compensation as set by the County Executive and the County Council in accordance with Article 4 of the Baltimore County Code.
(f)    (1)    Each of the judges of the Court for Calvert County shall receive as annual compensation the sum of $8,925.
(2)    The salary of the Chief Judge is $9,130.
(3)    The County Commissioners may provide additional funds for expenses for the judges.
(g)    Each of the judges of the Court for Caroline County shall receive an annual salary as determined by the County Commissioners, but not less than $5,000.
(h)    (1)    Each of the judges of the Court for Carroll County shall receive an annual compensation of $15,000, to be paid monthly.
(2)    The annual salary of the Chief Judge is $16,500, to be paid in equal monthly installments.
(3)    Each judge and the Chief Judge shall also be allowed $200 annually for traveling expenses, payable quarterly.
(i)    (1)    Each of the judges of the Court for Cecil County shall receive an annual compensation of:
(i)    $5,500 for fiscal year 2015;
(ii)    $6,500 for fiscal year 2016;
(iii)    $7,500 for fiscal year 2017; and
(iv)    $8,750 for fiscal year 2018 and each subsequent fiscal year.
(2)    Each judge shall also receive an allowance for traveling expenses of $1,500 annually, to be paid quarterly by the county.
(j)    (1)    The annual salary for each judge of the Court for Charles County is:
(i)    $12,000 for calendar year 2018;
(ii)    $12,250 for calendar year 2019;
(iii)    $12,500 for calendar year 2020;
(iv)    $12,750 for calendar year 2021; and
(v)    $13,000 for calendar year 2022 and each subsequent calendar year.
(2)    Beginning in calendar year 2019, the Chief Judge shall receive an additional $500 annually.
(3)    Each judge is entitled to $500 each year for travel expenses, payable quarterly.
(k)    (1)    Each of the judges of the Court for Dorchester County shall receive an annual salary as determined by the County Council, but not less than $6,000.
(2)    Each judge shall also receive an expense allowance as determined by the County Council, but not less than $1,000 annually.
(l)    (1)    The Chief Judge of the Court for Frederick County shall receive an annual compensation of $11,000.
(2)    Each of the associate judges of the Court for Frederick County shall receive an annual compensation of $10,000.
(3)    Each judge also shall receive reimbursement for expenses actually incurred in the performance of duties, up to $700 per year, to be paid by the Board of County Commissioners each month on presentation of an itemized voucher.
(m)    (1)    Each of the judges of the Court for Garrett County shall receive an annual salary set by the Board of County Commissioners in accordance with §§ 32.43 and 32.44 of the Public Local Laws of Garrett County.
(2)    (i)    Each judge shall be reimbursed for traveling to and from the sessions of the Court at the rate Garrett County pays for mileage.
(ii)    Each judge shall also receive an amount for expenses for every day’s attendance on the sessions of the Court set by the Board of County Commissioners in accordance with §§ 32.43 and 32.44 of the Public Local Laws of Garrett County.
(n)    (1)    Each associate judge of the Court for Howard County shall receive an annual compensation, to be paid monthly, of:
(i)    $12,000 for fiscal year 2019;
(ii)    $14,000 for fiscal year 2020;
(iii)    $16,000 for fiscal year 2021; and
(iv)    $18,000 for fiscal year 2022.
(2)    The Chief Judge shall receive an annual compensation, to be paid monthly, of:
(i)    $13,500 for fiscal year 2019;
(ii)    $15,500 for fiscal year 2020;
(iii)    $17,500 for fiscal year 2021; and
(iv)    $19,500 for fiscal year 2022.
(3)    Each judge shall also receive an expense allowance, in addition, up to $50 per month, for personal expenses incidental to the judge’s duties, to be paid by the Treasurer of Howard County each month on presentation of an itemized voucher.
(o)    (1)    Each of the judges of the Court for Kent County shall receive a salary as set by the County Commissioners.
(2)    (i)    Each judge shall receive an allowance for travel expenses in accordance with the county budget.
(ii)    The County Commissioners shall pay quarterly to each judge the travel allowance provided in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.
(p)    The salary of each associate judge of the Court for Prince George’s County shall be $50,000 per annum, and the salary of the Chief Judge shall be $55,000 per annum.
(q)    (1)    Each of the judges of the Court for Queen Anne’s County shall receive a salary as set by the County Commissioners.
(2)    (i)    Each judge shall receive an allowance for travel expenses in accordance with the County budget.
(ii)    The County Commissioners shall pay quarterly to each judge the travel allowance provided in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.
(r)    (1)    The Chief Judge of the Court for St. Mary’s County shall receive an annual salary of $11,000, with a 1.5% annual increase.
(2)    Each associate judge of the Court for St. Mary’s County shall receive an annual salary of $10,000, with a 1.5% annual increase.
(3)    In addition, each judge shall:
(i)    Receive annually $150 for each year served; and
(ii)    Be allowed $1,000 annually for traveling expenses, payable quarterly.
(s)    (1)    The Chief Judge of the Court for Somerset County shall receive an annual salary of $5,200 to be paid quarterly.
(2)    Each of the associate judges of the Court for Somerset County shall receive an annual salary of $4,800 to be paid quarterly.
(3)    Each judge shall also receive a daily allowance for traveling expenses of $55 for every day’s attendance on the sessions of the Court.
(t)    Each of the judges of the Court for Talbot County shall receive a salary as set by the County Council.
(u)    (1)    As compensation each of the judges of the Court for Washington County shall receive an annual compensation as set by the County Commissioners of Washington County under Title 28, Subtitle 2 of the Local Government Article.
(2)    The County Commissioners may provide for an expense allowance as the County Commissioners determine.
(v)    (1)    Each judge of the Court for Wicomico County shall receive an annual salary of $11,600 to be paid quarterly.
(2)    Each judge shall also receive an annual allowance for traveling expenses of $1,560 to be paid quarterly.
(w)    (1)    The Board of County Commissioners of Worcester County shall determine the compensation for judges of the Court for Worcester County but the compensation may not be less than the sum of $30 for every day’s attendance on the sessions of the Court.
(2)    The judges shall also receive an allowance for traveling expenses of $1,600 annually.
(x)    (1)    Except in Montgomery, Frederick, Carroll, Talbot, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Garrett, and Harford counties and Baltimore City, and except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a county shall pay a pension, in the same manner as salaries are paid during active service, to each judge of the Orphans’ Court who:
(i)    Has terminated active service;
(ii)    Has reached 60 years of age; and
(iii)    Has completed at least two terms of office.
(2)    Except as provided in this section, the salary or pension shall be the greater of:
(i)    $1,200 annually; or
(ii)    An annual amount calculated at the rate of 4% of the last annual amount of compensation multiplied by the number of years or partial years of service, not exceeding 12 years.
(3)    An Orphans’ Court judge in Somerset County and Worcester County is eligible for a pension under this subsection only if the judge is in office on or before July 1, 1979.
(4)    In Wicomico County, an Orphans’ Court judge who has completed at least 12 years in office is eligible for a pension under this subsection.
(5)    In Prince George’s County, the salary or pension to each Orphans’ Court judge shall be the greater of:
(i)    $1,200 annually; or
(ii)    An annual amount calculated at the rate of 4% of the last annual amount of compensation multiplied by the number of years or partial years of service, not exceeding 20 years.
(6)    In Allegany County, the pension for an Orphans’ Court judge shall be the greater of:
(i)    $1,200 annually; or
(ii)    1.    Except as provided in item 2 of this subparagraph, an annual amount calculated at the rate of 4% of the last annual amount of compensation multiplied by the number of years of service, not exceeding 24 years; or
2.    An annual amount equal to two–thirds of the last annual amount of compensation if the judge has more than 16 years of service.
(7)    (i)    This paragraph applies only in Baltimore County.
(ii)    An Orphans’ Court judge is eligible for a pension under this subsection only if the judge was in office on or after January 1, 2022.
(iii)    The pension shall be the greater of:
1.    $1,200 annually; or
2.    An annual amount calculated at the rate of 4% of the last annual amount of compensation multiplied by the number of years of service beginning on or after January 1, 2022, not exceeding 24 years.
(iv)    1.    Subject to subsubparagraph 2 of this subparagraph and except as provided in subsubparagraph 3 of this subparagraph, a surviving spouse of an Orphans’ Court judge shall be paid one–half of the pension to which the judge was entitled at the time of the judge’s death, or would have been entitled on attaining 60 years of age.
2.    A pension shall be paid to a surviving spouse until the surviving spouse’s death or remarriage.
3.    A surviving spouse is not entitled to a pension if the surviving spouse was married to an active or retired judge for a period of less than 3 years before the active judge’s death or the retired judge’s retirement.
(v)    The County Council shall establish, by law:
1.    Requirements for an Orphans’ Court judge to contribute to the pension system;
2.    Procedures and requirements for purchasing eligibility service credit; and
3.    Any other provisions necessary to carry out this paragraph.
(8)    The pension or salary may be suspended during any month the judge is a full–time employee of any county or of this State.
(9)    Notwithstanding any provision of this section an Orphans’ Court judge may not receive a pension under this section if the judge is receiving any other State pension based on service as an Orphans’ Court judge.