This bill proposes amendments to various sections of the Code of West Virginia, specifically addressing the salaries and retirement benefits of judges. It includes significant salary increases for magistrates, justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals, circuit court judges, family court judges, and judges of the Intermediate Court of Appeals. For instance, the annual salary of a magistrate will increase to $75,880 starting July 1, 2026, while justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals will see their salaries rise to $154,600 on the same date, with further increases scheduled for subsequent years. Additionally, the bill clarifies that family court judges will receive an annual salary of $126,424 beginning July 1, 2026.

The bill also addresses retirement contributions for judges, specifying that starting July 1, 2025, judges will contribute 7% of their salary to the Judges' Retirement Fund. It nullifies any previous practices that allowed for the discontinuation of required contributions prior to actual retirement, ensuring consistent treatment across retirement systems. Furthermore, the bill allows for the creation of additional classifications of support staff for family courts and outlines the responsibilities of the courts regarding contributions to the retirement fund, particularly in relation to overfunding scenarios. Overall, the bill aims to enhance judicial compensation and clarify retirement policies for judges in West Virginia.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 50-1-3, 51-1-10a, 51-2-13, 51-2A-6, 51-9-4, 51-11-11