Idaho Supreme Court seeks higher salaries for Idaho judges
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Clark Corbin, Idaho Capital Sun
BOISE (Idaho Capital Sun) — The Idaho Supreme Court will ask the Idaho Legislature for a significant increase in judges’ salaries when the state’s annual legislative session convenes next week.
On Thursday, the Idaho Supreme Court released a proposal for increased salaries for Idaho judges and a report on judicial salaries among neighboring states in the West. The report stated salaries for Idaho Supreme Court justices ranked 50th among the United States and its territories in a July 2024 survey published by the National Center for State Courts.
The Idaho Supreme Court proposes setting salaries for Idaho Supreme Court justices in law at $215,00 per year, up from the current level of $169,508. If approved by the Idaho Legislature, that would represent an increase of nearly 27%.
The proposal calls for setting other judicial salaries based on the salary of an Idaho Supreme Court justice.
Based on the salary of Idaho Supreme Court justices, the proposal calls for the following salaries:
$207,000 for a Court of Appeals judge, up from $161,508 currently.
$201,000 for a district court judge, up from $155,508 currently.
$193,000 for a magistrate judge, up from $147,508 currently.
Pay raises may help with recruitment, retention issues for Idaho judges
Idaho Supreme Court justices said the proposed pay increases are necessary to address recruitment and retention issues across the state. The Idaho Supreme Court put the proposal forward after analyzing salaries for attorneys and the salaries of judges in neighboring states.
“The Supreme Court does not make these requests lightly,” Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice G. Richard Bevan said in a written statement Thursday. “Idaho’s courts use just a small slice of public spending and we find thoughtful ways to stretch public dollars. But to maintain our strong, independent judiciary, we must keep salaries competitive with what experienced attorneys and judges can earn elsewhere.”
Salary and pay for state employees and public officials is becoming an issue to watch heading into the new session.
In November, the Citizens Committee on Legislative Compensation approved raises of 25% for Idaho legislators, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. The committee called for an increase from $19,913 currently to $25,000 per year for legislators. The Idaho Legislature is a part-time seasonal legislature – as opposed to a professional full-time legislative body – that is in session for about 80 to 90 days per year. Some Republican legislators have vowed to fight their raises when the legislative session begins.
Meanwhile, the Idaho Division of Human Resources is recommending raises of 4% or $1.25 per hour for all permanent state employees, saying state salaries do not keep up with what outside employers pay for the same jobs.
Idaho’s 2025 legislative session begins Monday with Gov. Brad Little delivering the annual State of the State address.