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Chief Justice gave judges a pay raise, then lawmakers gave them another

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Chief Justice Randolph gave state judges a pay raise, then lawmakers gave them another

Mississippi lawmakers rubber-stamped a pay raise Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Randolph gave to himself and other judges last year and provided judges an additional pay raise during the completed 2022 .

House Bill 1423, passed during the 2022 session and signed into by Gov. Tate Reeves, puts into law the pay raise that was enacted early in 2021 by the chief justice. In addition, the legislation provides additional salary increases for the state’s nine Supreme Court justices, 10 Court of Appeals judges, 57 circuit judges and 52 chancellors starting Jan. 1, 2023.

The pay raise for Randolph goes from $174,000 annually to $181,490. The other pay raises starting in 2023 are:

  • Presiding justices on the Supreme Court from $169,500 to $176,737.
  • Associate justices on the Supreme Court from $166,500 to $173,800.

The chief judge for the Court of Appeals, starting in 2023, will a raise of $7,849 to $169,349, while the associate judges will get a pay increase of $9,967 to $168,467.

The districtwide trial court judges, both circuit and chancery, will receive an increase of $9,000 to $158,000 starting in 2023.

The pay raises slated to begin on Jan. 1 are in addition to the salary increases Randolph awarded to the judges early in 2021.

Before enacting the pay raise in 2021, Randolph wrote a letter in December 2020 informing state Personnel Board Executive Director Hardwick that he was authorizing a $15,000 pay raise for himself to bring his salary to $174,000 annually and awarded similar salary increases for other members of the state’s judiciary. 

While most elected in Mississippi have their salaries set by the — traditionally the only governmental body with the power to appropriate money — a provision in a 2012 law apparently gives the Supreme Court chief justice the power to raise salaries of the judiciary without legislative approval.

READ MORE: Supreme Court chief quietly gave pay raise to himself and other judges without legislative approval

At the time Randolph enacted the salary increase, some legislators questioned his authority to enact the pay raise. But during the 2022 session, the Legislature did not change the law to ensure that the chief justice could not enact similar raises in the future. Instead, the Legislature put those pay raises Randolph enacted in 2021 into law and provided the additional pay raises starting in 2023.

The 2022 legislation also provides a pay raise for district attorneys from $125,900 to $134,400 starting Jan. 1.

In addition to providing the power to raise judiciary salaries, the 2012 legislation, authored by then-House Judiciary A Chair Mark Baker, R-Brandon, also increased the fees on various court filings — such as the fee to file a civil lawsuit or on the levies in criminal proceedings — to pay for the salary increases. Some argued at the time the increase on the various court filings was equivalent to a tax increase for those who use the courts. But then-Chief Justice William Waller Jr., who advocated for the 2012 legislation, said judges at the time desperately needed a pay increase and he was to be responsible by providing a method to pay for it.

During the 2022 session, legislators also provided significant pay raises for other state elected officials.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Mississippi sees 5th largest increase in fatal crashes: study

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www.wjtv.com – Garret Grove – 2024-11-02 12:25:00

SUMMARY: A recent study highlights a troubling rise in road fatalities in Mississippi, with a nearly 31% increase in fatal accidents from 2012 to 2021, ranking it fifth highest in the country. The reported a spike during the 2024 Labor Day , responding to seven fatal crashes resulting in 15 deaths, to only three crashes and six deaths in 2021. Additionally, a 2023 showed Mississippi had the highest per capita fatal crashes during the Christmas period. Young drivers are particularly affected, as Mississippi ranks fifth for teenage driving fatalities nationwide.

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Mississippi News

Vicksburg man charged with assaulting woman in domestic dispute

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-02 11:33:00

SUMMARY: In Vicksburg, Mississippi, a domestic assault led to the hospitalization of a man and woman on November 2. were alerted by Merit Region after a 28-year-old man, Daron Evans, arrived with a stab wound. Authorities dispatched to the scene found the woman, who had also been assaulted. After receiving treatment, Evans was and charged with aggravated assault domestic violence; he is held without bond until his court appearance. The woman is in stable at the . An investigation is ongoing.

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Mississippi News

Cloudy and humid weekend – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Sadie Morris – 2024-11-02 10:13:00

SUMMARY: In Columbus, Mississippi, humid and cloudy weather is expected, with temperatures remaining above average in the lower 80s for the upcoming . Rain is forecasted for Election Day on Tuesday, continuing into the week with isolated showers likely. This Saturday will see patchy fog in the morning, clearing by midday, with a high around 80 degrees. Sunday will bring similar humidity, with a high in the lower 80s and mild overnight lows in the mid-60s. Throughout the week, expect persistent clouds and humidity alongside mild temperatures.

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