Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Calls For Judicial Pay Raises

The new chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court says the state Legislature should give state judges a substantial pay raise.

Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock was appointed head of the state’s top civil court earlier this month. He requested the Senate Finance Committee on Monday to increase pay for more than 500 judges and justices statewide.

Blacklock said Texas is losing qualified judicial candidates to other branches of state government and to private law firms, where he said attorneys could earn more money straight out of law school.