Bill to Raise Judicial Salaries Gets First Committee Hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday will consider a bill that would expand the initial terms of judges of compensation claims to six years from four, and would hike their salaries by nearly 22%. Senate Bill 1412, sponsored by Sen. David Simmons, R-Longwood, calls for judges in the Office of Judges of Compensation Claims (OJCC) to be paid the same as county judges, who preside over misdemeanor criminal cases and civil cases with up to $15,000 in dispute. OJCC judges now earn $124,564 but would receive raises to $151,822, under the bill. This will be SB 1412’s ...