Chief Judge Kaye yesterday held a press conference yesterday to express her disgust with the Legislature's failure to approve a pay raise for New York's judiciary. Pay raises for public officials is never a popular topic and often met with skepticism. This instance is different -- there hasn't been a pay raise since 1999.
A lot of attorneys joke about the "easy" jobs judges have, and likely some of the public has a similar opinion. Having clerked for a New York court and speaking with friends who have clerked for trial court Judges, Appellate Division Justices, and Court of Appeals Judges, nothing can be further from the truth. The Court are deluged with work. Frequently, Justices and Judges' hours match or beat the long hours that law firm attorneys put in. One raise in 8 years doesn't seem to be asking too much.
See this article, this article, and this article in the New York Law Journal, and this article in the New York Times about Chief Judge Kaye's position.
What judge could impartially decide this case. If the state judges sued in an attempt to raise their own pay, then wouldn't every state judge have a direct financial interest in the outcome of the case. Wouldn't that pretty much exclude every state court judge from presiding over the case?
Posted by: David Novak | April 11, 2007 at 10:40 AM
Give it to Judge Judy!
Posted by: David Gottlieb | April 11, 2007 at 07:09 PM
BOO HOO HOO, sorry honey, but if you can't live on what did you say you make? 136,000
a year? well youv'e got a problem. try living on a fixed income after george pataki allows the rent on your rent stabalized apartment to be increased to so called " legal rent " i have no sympathy for you, in fact, i think you have alot of nerve crying to a public about to become homeless because of judges who can't do anything about the laws that no longer protect the people.
Posted by: diane virga | December 16, 2007 at 09:50 PM