Compensation council amends and backs higher judicial pay after debate

The Minnesota Compensation Council voted to ask the Legislature for higher judicial pay, adopting an amended recommendation that would raise judges’ pay 7.5% on July 1, 2027, and 4% on July 1, 2028.

The recommendation followed two presentations on judicial recruitment and competing budget pressures. "This council voted to support an increase to judicial officer compensation by 10% fiscal year 28 and 4 percent in fiscal year 29," Jeff Shorebaugh, representing the Judicial Council, told members, saying the higher request was intended to address recent years of flat pay and falling competitiveness with private-sector legal salaries.

Why it matters: Council members heard data showing a sharp drop in applicants for district court vacancies and growing caseload complexity that the Judicial Council said increases the demand for experienced judges. Shorebaugh said Minnesota now ranks lower nationwide for appellate pay and warned that threats to court officials and rising workloads amplify recruitment and retention challenges.

What the council decided: A motion to recommend 6% increases in each of two years was offered first but failed on a 9–9 roll call. A subsequent motion to ask for 10% in the first year and 4% in the second was amended on the floor to 7.5% and 4%; the amended recommendation passed in a recorded vote. Council leadership will finalize report language to send the recommendation to the Legislature.

Budget context: Minnesota Management & Budget staff told the council the state's forecast is dynamic and includes both a near-term leftover balance and a longer-term structural imbalance. Members heard that health and human services and education are the main growth drivers in the general fund, framing the challenge of asking for targeted increases in a constrained budget environment.

Claims and debate: Members debated the size of an appropriate request and whether to include a legislative “fix” that some advocates say would restore pay lost by prior flat years. Some members argued for larger, catch-up increases; others urged realism so the recommendation would be politically viable. The council also voted to include language in its report urging the Legislature to explore statutory methods for automatic adoption and funding of future compensation-council recommendations, while acknowledging the Legislature's constitutional role in setting judicial pay.

Next steps: The compensation council's recommendation will be incorporated into the council's 2026 report and transmitted to the governor's office and the Legislature. The council said staff and leadership will draft the report language and follow up with additional motions if needed at the next meeting.