Judicial Compensation Commission - Recommendations

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 6
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By: The Speaker (By Request – Judicial Compensation Commission)
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations
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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

A House Joint Resolution concerning 2

Judicial Compensation Commission – Recommendations 3

FOR the purpose of establishing the compensation of the members of the Judiciary in this 4
State in accordance with Section 1 –708 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings 5
Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. 6

WHEREAS, Section 1–708(b)(2) of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the 7
Annotated Code of Maryland establishes a seven –member Jud icial Compensation 8
Commission appointed by the Governor with two members appointed on nomination of the 9
President of the Senate, two members appointed on nomination of the Speaker of the House 10
of Delegates, one member appointed on nomination of the Maryland State Bar Association, 11
and two members appointed at large. The Judicial Compensation Commission is 12
constituted as follows: appointments made on the nomination of the President of the 13
Senate: Meghan Casey and Carlos Williams; appointments made on the nomination of the 14
Speaker of the House of Delegates: Victoria Fretwell and John Wasilisin; appointment 15
made on the nomination of the Maryland State Bar Association: Raphael Santini; and 16
appointments at large: Monica Mitchell and Chanel Mason. The Commission me mbers 17
elected Meghan Casey to serve as the chair of the Commission. The Commission is charged 18
with reviewing the salaries and pensions of the judges of the Judiciary of Maryland and 19
making written recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or after 20
September 1, 2011, September 1, 2013, and every 4 years thereafter; and 21

WHEREAS, Section 1 –708(d) of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the 22
Annotated Code of Maryland provides as follows: the General Assembly may amend this 23
Joint Re solution to decrease any of the Commission’s salary recommendations, but no 24
reduction may diminish the salary of a judge during the judge’s continuance in office. The 25
General Assembly may not amend this Joint Resolution to increase these recommended 26
salaries. Should the General Assembly not adopt or amend this Joint Resolution within 50 27
days after its introduction, the salaries recommended herein shall apply during fiscal years 28
2027 through 2030. Should the General Assembly reject any or all of the salaries herein 29
recommended, the salaries of the judges so affected shall remain unchanged during fiscal 30
years 2027 through 2030 unless modified under other provisions of the law; and 31
2 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 6

WHEREAS, The Judicial Compensation Commission met twice in December 2025 1
and once in January 2026 and considered many aspects and facets of judicial compensation. 2
The Commission, by a vote of five or more of its members as required by § 1 –708(b)(7) of 3
the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, has 4
recommended an increase in judicial salaries for fiscal years 2027 through 2030; now, 5
therefore, be it 6

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That after 7
considering the recommendations of the Judicial Compensation Commission, beginning 8
July 1, 2026, judicial salaries shall be as follows: 9

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and be it further 22

RESOLVED, That beginning July 1, 2027, judicial salaries shall be as follows: 23

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and be it further 36

RESOLVED, That beginning July 1, 2028, judicial salaries shall be as follows: 37
Position Current Salary Proposed Salary
Supreme Court of Maryland
Chief Justice 255,433 261,333
Justice 236,433 242,333
Appellate Court of Maryland
Chief Judge 226,633 232,533
Judge 223,633 229,533
Circuit Courts
Judge 214,433 220,333
District Court
Chief Judge 223,633 229,533
Associate Judge 201,333 207,233;
Position Proposed Salary
Supreme Court of Maryland
Chief Justice 267,233
Justice 248,233
Appellate Court of Maryland
Chief Judge 238,433
Judge 235,433
Circuit Courts
Judge 226,233
District Court
Chief Judge 235,433
Associate Judge 213,133;
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 6 3

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and be it further 13

RESOLVED, That beginning July 1, 2029, judicial salaries shall be as follows: 14

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and be it further 27

RESOLVED, That for fiscal years 2027 through 2030, the Chief Judge of the 28
Appellate Court of Maryland and a judge who serves as an administrative judge for a circuit 29
court or District Court shall receive, in addition to the judge’s annual salary, an annual 30
stipend of $7,500; and be it further 31

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 32
Legislative Services to the Governor of Maryland; the President of the Senate of Maryland; 33
and the Speaker of the House of Delegates. 34

Position Proposed Salary
Supreme Court of Maryland
Chief Justice 273,133
Justice 254,133
Appellate Court of Maryland
Chief Judge 244,333
Judge 241,333
Circuit Courts
Judge 232,133
District Court
Chief Judge 241,333
Associate Judge 219,033;
Position Proposed Salary
Supreme Court of Maryland
Chief Justice 279,033
Justice 260,033
Appellate Court of Maryland
Chief Judge 250,233
Judge 247,233
Circuit Courts
Judge 238,033
District Court
Chief Judge 247,233
Associate Judge 224,933;