Chapter 491-A: Judicial Salaries

The salaries for the positions set forth below shall be as follows:

Chief justice, supreme court $208,157 Associate justices, supreme court $201,895 Chief justice, superior court and administrative judges appointed pursuant to supreme court rule 54 $201,895 Associate justices, superior court $189,350 District court justices prohibited from practice pursuant to RSA 502-A:21 (repealed) $189,350 Probate judges prohibited from practice pursuant to RSA 547:2-a $189,350

I. For purposes of calculating the annual salaries of part-time district court justices appointed after July 1, 1987, the supreme court shall establish and revise as needed a weighted case value, relating the judicial time required for each type of case included in the court's jurisdiction, which when multiplied by the caseload of each court will produce the number of weighted case units for that court. Any revisions to the weighted case values shall be approved by the legislature. The number of weighted case units shall be calculated by the administrative office of the courts in July of each year, using caseload statistics for the preceding 12-month period. Said weighted case units shall serve as the basis for determining the salary of part-time justices for the next calendar year.

II. The following compensation schedule shall be used when calculating salaries for part-time district court justices, beginning July 1, 1987:

Weighted Case Units Step Increase Per 100 Case Units 1 2 3 4 5 0-499 $2,500 $3,217 $3,928 $4,642 $5,356 500-999 6,070 6,784 7,498 8,212 8,926 1000-1499 9,640 10,354 11,068 11,782 12,496 1500-1999 13,329 14,162 14,995 15,828 16,661 2000-2499 17,494 18,327 19,160 19,993 20,826 2500-2999 21,659 22,492 23,325 24,258 24,991 3000-3499 25,824 26,657 27,490 28,323 29,156 3500-3999 29,989 30,822 31,655 32,488 33,321 4000-4499 34,154 34,987 35,820 36,653 37,486 4500-4999 38,319 39,152 39,985 40,818 41,651 5000-5250 42,484 43,317 43,733 - - III. The salary of a part-time justice shall not exceed 70 percent of the taxable salary of a full-time district court justice as provided by RSA 491-A:1. Judicial time shall be measured in weighted case units which shall reflect judicial time required to process a case. The compensation per weighted case unit shall be proportional to the taxable compensation for a full-time judge. A part-time justice, whose weighted caseload equals 3.5 judicial days per week, shall receive the maximum salary as provided by this section. The compensation schedule provided by this section shall be based upon the taxable salary of a full-time district court justice pursuant to RSA 491-A:1.

IV. The supreme court, after reviewing population, caseload, judicial time and efficiency, available judicial resources, the needs of the judicial branch family division, and other relevant criteria may request the governor and council to designate a sitting part-time justice as a full-time justice. The court may recommend certain justices; however, the governor and council shall not be bound by that recommendation. Upon designation, that justice shall become full-time. Prior to making its request, there shall be funds in the court's budget specifically appropriated for the salary and benefits of an additional full-time district court justice.

I. For purposes of calculating the annual salaries of part-time judges appointed after October 3, 1986, the supreme court shall establish and revise as needed a weighted case value, relating the judicial time required for each type of case included in the court's jurisdiction, which when multiplied by the caseload of each court will produce the number of weighted case units for that court. Any revisions to the weighted case values shall be approved by the legislature. The number of weighted case units, as calculated annually by the administrative office of the courts, shall serve as the basis for determining the salary of part-time justices.

II. The following compensation schedule shall be used when calculating salaries for part-time probate judges from October 3, 1986:

Weighted Case Units Step Increase Per 100 Case Units 1 2 3 4 5 0-499 $2,500 $3,217 $3,928 $4,642 $5,356 500-999 6,070 6,784 7,498 8,212 8,926 1000-1499 9,640 10,354 11,068 11,782 12,496 1500-1999 13,329 14,162 14,995 15,828 16,661 2000-2499 17,494 18,327 19,160 19,993 20,826 2500-2999 21,659 22,492 23,325 24,258 24,991 3000-3499 25,824 26,657 27,490 28,323 29,156 3500-3999 29,989 30,822 31,655 32,488 33,321 4000-4499 34,154 34,987 35,820 36,653 37,486 4500-4999 38,319 39,152 39,985 40,818 41,651 5000-5250 42,484 43,317 43,733 - - III. The salary of a part-time justice shall not exceed 70 percent of the taxable salary of a full-time district court justice as provided by RSA 491-A:1. Judicial time shall be measured in weighted case units which shall reflect judicial time required to process a case. The compensation per weighted case unit shall be proportional to the taxable compensation for a full-time judge. A part-time justice, whose weighted caseload equals 3.5 judicial days per week, shall receive the maximum salary as provided by this section. The compensation schedule provided in this section shall be based upon the taxable salary of a full-time district court justice pursuant to RSA 491-A:1.

IV. The supreme court, after reviewing population, caseload, judicial time and efficiency, available judicial resources, the needs of the judicial branch family division, and other relevant criteria, may request the governor and council to designate a sitting part-time probate judge as a full-time judge. The court may recommend certain judges; however, the governor and council shall not be bound by that recommendation. Upon designation, that judge shall become full-time. Prior to making its request, there shall be funds in the court's budget specifically appropriated for the salary and benefits of an additional full-time probate judge.

I. Full-time judges may participate in the group health and dental insurance plans provided full-time classified state employees according to eligibility rules established under the judicial branch uniform personnel classification and compensation system.

II. To the extent that a part-time justice of the district courts or a part-time judge of the probate courts is not covered by health and dental insurance through the judicial branch personnel policies, the part-time justice of the district courts or part-time judge of the probate courts may participate at his or her own expense in the group health and dental insurance plans afforded full-time state employees.