Federal judges take their own case to court – for more pay

[steven johnson]

The Constitution bars Congress from reducing a judge’s pay, but Congress has excluded judges from receiving promised inflation adjustments in six of the past 16 years. Now they want to get even -- in court.

Eight federal judges are suing the US government for back pay in a potential landmark case that raises fundamental questions about how the Founding Fathers sought to protect an independent judiciary.

Five US district judges and three appeals-court judges charge in their suit that Congress reneged on a pledge to provide America's jurists with automatic cost-of-living increases. Congress has excluded judges from receiving inflation adjustments in six of the past 16 years.

The judges say the action violates the Constitution's compensation clause, which bars Congress from reducing a judge's pay.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0411/p02s01-usju.html

[Abq_Sarah]

1. This is not a good time

For government employees to start asking for more money. We've got a lot of people living on the edge as it is to fund their more than generous salaries and benefits.

[Angleae]

2. Not getting a cost-of-living increase is not the same as reducing.

On top of this, they have to find an impartial judge to hear the case.