# Courts and Judicial Proceedings (GCJ) ## Title 1. Court Structure and Organization ### Subtitle 7. Judicial Salaries and Allowances #### Section 1-701 A judge's salary may not be diminished during his continuance in office. #### Section 1-702 (a) (1) Subject to the provisions of Sec. 1-701 of this subtitle, a justice or judge shall have the salary provided in the State budget. (2) The Chief Judge of the Appellate Court of Maryland and a judge who serves as an administrative judge for a circuit court or the District Court may receive an annual stipend in addition to the judge's annual salary. (b) The Chief Judge of the District Court, during the period the individual serves as Chief Judge, shall have a salary equivalent to the annual salary then payable to an associate judge of the Appellate Court of Maryland. #### Section 1-703 (a) Title 8, Subtitle 1 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article applies to judicial salaries, except for the provisions of Sec. 8-108(c) of the State Personnel and Pensions Article. (b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, whenever a general salary increase is awarded to State employees, each judge shall receive the same percentage increase in salary as awarded to the lowest step of the highest salary grade for employees in the Standard Pay Plan. (2) In any year that a judge's salary is increased in accordance with a resolution under Sec. 1-708 of this subtitle, the judge may not receive a salary increase under paragraph (1) of this subsection. #### Section 1-704 Any increase in judicial salary shall be included in the portion of the budget bill relating to the judiciary department. Any proposed increase in judicial salary is subject to legislative review and approval. #### Section 1-705 (a) In this subtitle, "supplementation" means any payment from a political subdivision to a judge or the surviving spouse of a judge, by way of salary, allowances, or pension. The word includes, but is not limited to, any payment in the form of salary, bonus, pension, spouse's benefit, or expense or travel allowance except: (1) reimbursable expenses actually incurred in connection with the duties of judicial office to the extent permitted by Sec. 1-706; and (2) any pension supplementation expressly permitted by public general law. "Supplementation" excludes payment of benefits under a local group health or hospitalization plan if a judge is entitled to those benefits by law. (b) Supplementation of a judge's salary is prohibited. #### Section 1-706 (a) A judge is entitled to mileage, at the rate for State employees, for officially authorized travel outside his county of residence on judicial business. He is also entitled to reimbursement for reasonable costs of meals, lodging, and other expenses actually incurred with the officially authorized travel in accordance with provisions of the State joint travel regulations provided that such reimbursement is approved by the judge authorizing the travel and provided for in the State budget. (b) Reimbursable expenses actually incurred by a circuit court judge in connection with his duties, other than the expenses described in subsection (a) of this section, shall be paid by the political subdivision in which the circuit court judge resides, as provided in that subdivision's budget, and as first approved by the State Administrative Office of the Courts. #### Section 1-707 A judge of the District Court who has continued in office as a judge of that Court pursuant to the provisions of Article IV, Sec. 41-I(a) of the Maryland Constitution, and who on July 4, 1971 was a participant in a group health or group hospitalization plan provided by a local subdivision, and who within six months from July 5, 1971, elected to remain a member of that plan, may continue as a member of the plan. In this event, the local subdivision shall continue to make on behalf of the judge any contributions to the plan required by its terms or by law. The State shall periodically reimburse the local subdivision for contributions made pursuant to this section. #### Section 1-708 (a) The salaries and pensions of the justices of the Supreme Court of Maryland and the judges of the Appellate Court of Maryland, the circuit courts of the counties, and the District Court shall be established as provided by this section, Sec.Sec. 1-701 through 1-707 of this subtitle, and Title 27 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article. (b) (1) There is a Judicial Compensation Commission. The Commission shall study and make recommendations with respect to all aspects of judicial compensation, to the end that the judicial compensation structure shall be adequate to assure that highly qualified persons will be attracted to the bench and will continue to serve there without unreasonable economic hardship. (2) The Commission consists of seven members appointed by the Governor. No more than three members of the Commission may be individuals admitted to practice law in this State. In nominating and appointing members, special consideration shall be given to individuals who have knowledge of compensation practices and financial matters. The Governor shall appoint: (i) Two members from a list of the names of at least five nominees submitted by the President of the Senate; (ii) Two from a list of the names of at least five nominees submitted by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; (iii) One from a list of the names of at least three nominees submitted by the Maryland State Bar Association, Inc.; and (iv) Two at large. (3) A member of the General Assembly, officer or employee of the State or a political subdivision of the State, or justice or judge or former justice or judge is not eligible for appointment to the Commission. (4) The term of a member is 6 years, commencing July 1, 1980, and until the member's successor is appointed. However, of the members first appointed to the Commission, the Governor shall designate one of the members nominated by the President of the Senate to serve for 3 years and one for 6 years; one of the members nominated by the Speaker to serve for 4 years and one for 5 years; the member nominated by the Maryland State Bar Association, Inc., to serve for 3 years; and one of the members at large to serve for 2 years, and one for 6 years. A member is eligible for reappointment. (5) Members of the Commission serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out their responsibilities under this section. (6) The members of the Commission shall elect a member as chairman of the Commission. (7) The concurrence of at least five members is required for any formal Commission action. (8) The Commission may request and receive assistance and information from any unit of State government. (c) On or after September 1, 2011, September 1, 2013, and every 4 years thereafter, the Commission shall review the salaries and pensions of the justices and judges of the courts listed in subsection (a) of this section and make written recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on or before the next ensuing regular session of the General Assembly. The Governor shall include in the budget for the next ensuing fiscal year the funding necessary to implement those recommendations, contingent on action by the General Assembly under subsections (d) and (e) of this section. (d) (1) The salary recommendations made by the Commission shall be introduced as a joint resolution in each House of the General Assembly not later than the fifteenth day of the session. The General Assembly may amend the joint resolution to decrease any of the Commission salary recommendations, but no reduction may diminish the salary of a justice or judge during his continuance in office. The General Assembly may not amend the joint resolution to increase the recommended salaries. If the General Assembly fails to adopt or amend the joint resolution within 50 days after its introduction, the salaries recommended by the Commission shall apply. If the joint resolution is adopted or amended in accordance with this section within 50 days after its introduction, the salaries so provided shall apply. If the General Assembly rejects any or all of the Commission's salary recommendations, the salaries of the justices and judges affected remain unchanged, unless modified under other provisions of law. (2) The Governor or the General Assembly may not increase the recommended salaries, except as provided under Sec. 1-703(b) of this subtitle. (e) The recommendation of the Commission as to pensions shall be introduced by the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Delegates in the form of legislation, and shall become effective only if passed by both Houses. (f) Any change in salaries or pensions adopted by the General Assembly under this section takes effect as of the July 1 of the year next following the year in which the Commission makes its recommendations. (g) This section does not affect Sec. 1-702(b), Sec. 1-703(b), or Sec.Sec. 1-705 through 1-707 of this subtitle, or Title 27 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article. --- Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)