Name: Louisiana has more judges than most other states, legislative audit shows
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Louisiana has more judges than most other states, legislative audit shows

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NEWS William Taylor PotterLafayette Daily AdvertiserLouisiana has more judges per 100,000 residents than all but six states and Washington, D.C., according to an analysis by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, and the state has more judges overall than all but 12 states.The Louisiana Legislative Auditor published an audit of the state’s judiciary system in comparison to other states, looking at how many judges each state has, how they are elected or appointed, how their pay is determined and their retirement structures.​​ The analysis showed that Louisiana had significantly more judges than states with a similar population.Unlike many other audits produced by the office, the report on Louisiana’s judicial system did not draw any conclusions about the comparisons or offer recommendations on ways to improve the system. In sending it to legislative leaders, Louisiana Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack said the report was “intended to provide timely information related to an area of interest to the legislature.”Here’s what the informational report showed:The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s report looked at the state’s general jurisdiction trial or district courts, its intermediate appellate courts, and the Louisiana Supreme Court. Across those three levels, Louisiana’s judicial system has 279 judges or justices, which is the 13th-highest total in the nation.Per 100,000 residents, Louisiana has 6.1 judges or justices — the eighth-most among all states and Washington, D.C. The analysis did not look at the caseloads of courts in the states.That total includes 219 general jurisdiction trial court judges, the 15th-highest total among all states. The state has 53 intermediate appellate judges, which is the seventh-highest total. Louisiana has seven justices on its supreme court, sometimes called a court of last resort, which is a common total for other states.In every state analyzed in the audit, the number of judges is determined by either the state constitution or a state law. In Louisiana, the number of justices on the supreme court is set by the constitution, while the number of judges at other levels is set by state law.Most states elect judges, similarly to Louisiana, though the exact process looks different in other states. Louisiana does partisan elections for judges at all three levels, one of only six states to do so. With the partisan election, candidates are required to commit to a political party or list “no party” on the ballot.Twenty-nine states do elections — both partisan and non-partisan — for the initial election of their general jurisdiction trial court judges, 21 do elections for intermediate appellate court judges, and 22 do elections for court of last resort justices. Around 47% of all state-level judges in the U.S. are decided by elections for their initial terms, the audit said.The other most common method for selecting judges is by the governor’s appointment, which is done by 15 states for general jurisdiction trial court judges, 16 for intermediate appellate court judges and 26 for supreme court justices.For additional terms, 70% of state judicial positions nationwide are decided by elections.Like 23 other states, Louisiana’s judicial salaries are set by a judicial compensation commission. In Louisiana, the commission recommends changes to the salaries to the legislature every two years.Louisiana, along with 28 other states, constitutionally protects judicial salaries from cuts.The salary commissions in 14 states, including Louisiana, operate in an advisory capacity, making recommendations related to judicial salaries to another body. In eight states, the decisions made by the commission are binding unless overridden by the legislature. About 24 states did not have a commission for judicial salaries.General jurisdiction trial court judges had a salary of $168,949 as of January, which ranks 27th among 55 states and territories. Adjusted for cost of living, the salary for these judges is about $173,795, ranking 17th.The pay for intermediate appellate court judges in Louisiana is about $175,797, ranking 27th. The salary for supreme court associate justices is about $187,914, which ranks 28th.Louisiana’s judges last got a raise in December of 2022, the report said.Louisiana’s judicial system is somewhat unique in that it offers judges supplemental pay — something only three other states do.Each month, Louisiana’s judges receive about $950 from the Judges’ Supplemental Compensation Fund. The legislature set up the fund in 1985, and it’s used to pay certain administrative costs and additional retirement system contributions. The rest of the fund is divided among the state’s judges.The fund is made up of proceeds from civil filing fees, the audit said. The state expects to pay out about $6.2 million in supplemental pay during fiscal year 2024, the audit said, citing the Louisiana House Fiscal Division.&nbsp;The other two states that provide supplemental pay are Texas and Georgia, though both of those states fund the supplements at the local level rather than through the state. Georgia caps the total supplemental pay at $50,000, and Texas counties can pay courts of appeal judges up to $9,000 and district court judges up to $18,000.

NEWS William Taylor PotterLafayette Daily AdvertiserLouisiana has more judges per 100,000 residents than all but six states and Washington, D.C., according to an analysis by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, and the state has more judges overall than all but 12 states.The Louisiana Legislative Auditor published an audit of the state’s judiciary system in comparison to other states, looking at how many judges each state has, how they are elected or appointed, how their pay is determined and their retirement structures.​​ The analysis showed that Louisiana had significantly more judges than...

Louisiana has more judges than most other states, legislative audit shows

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