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Justices to Examine Judge Pay

The Docket

Could be Kagan’s first case.

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J. Scott Applewhite / AP Photo

If Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan is confirmed, her potential first case would hit a little close to home: examining the pay for federal judges. A coalition of judges is seeking to overturn a Congressional act that limited automatic cost-of-living increases for federal judges. While this may not seem like a very sexy case, it is controversial since it is unconstitutional to diminish the pay of a federal judge while he or she is in office. Cases involving judges’ pay have long been a bitter topic between politicians and judges—even the Declaration of Independence claimed the British denied fair pay for judges. Among the plaintiffs are three appointees of President Bill Clinton.

Read it at The New York Sun