(a) For purposes of determining both the retirement salary of judges who first commenced service as judges prior to January 1, 1981, and the allowance payable to their surviving spouses under subsection (a) of section 51-51, “salary for the office” shall be composed of the total of the following amounts: The annual salary payable pursuant to subsection (a) of section 51-47, as such salary may change from time to time; and for judges to whom a longevity payment has been made or is due and payable, in each instance under subsection (d) of section 51-47, (1) one and one-half per cent of annual salary, as such salary may change from time to time, for those who have completed ten or more but less than fifteen years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, (2) three per cent of annual salary, as such salary may change from time to time, for those who have completed fifteen or more but less than twenty years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, (3) four and one-half per cent of annual salary, as such salary may change from time to time, for those who have completed twenty or more but less than twenty-five years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, and (4) six per cent of annual salary, as such salary may change from time to time, for those who have completed twenty-five or more years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service.
(b) For purposes of determining both the retirement salary of judges who first commenced service as judges on or after January 1, 1981, and prior to July 1, 2011, and the allowance payable to their surviving spouses, under subsection (b) of section 51-51, “salary” shall be composed of the total of the following amounts: The annual salary payable at the time of retirement or death, fixed in accordance with subsection (a) of section 51-47; and for judges to whom a longevity payment has been made or is due and payable, in each case under subsection (d) of section 51-47, (1) one and one-half per cent of the annual salary the judge was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed ten or more but less than fifteen years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, (2) three per cent of the annual salary the judge was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed fifteen or more but less than twenty years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, (3) four and one-half per cent of the annual salary the judge was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed twenty or more but less than twenty-five years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, and (4) six per cent of the annual salary the judge was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed twenty-five or more years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service.
(c) For purposes of determining both the retirement salary of judges who first commenced service as judges on or after July 1, 2011, and the allowance payable to their surviving spouses, under subsection (b) of section 51-51, “salary” shall be composed of the total of the following amounts: The average annual salary for the five years next preceding his or her retirement payable at the time of retirement or death, fixed in accordance with subsection (a) of section 51-47; and for judges to whom a longevity payment has been made or is due and payable, in each case under subsection (d) of section 51-47, (1) one and one-half per cent of the annual salary the judge was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed ten or more but less than fifteen years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, (2) three per cent of the annual salary the judge was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed fifteen or more but less than twenty years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, (3) four and one-half per cent of the annual salary the judge was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed twenty or more but less than twenty-five years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service, and (4) six per cent of the annual salary the judge was receiving at the time of retirement or death, for those who have completed twenty-five or more years of service as a judge or other state service or service as an elected official of the state or any combination of such service.
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, on and after October 2, 2011, the retirement salary of a judge shall not exceed the limits of Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time.
(P.A. 84-399, S. 7, 17; P.A. 96-233; P.A. 11-61. S. 148; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 11-1, S. 12, 16; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 135.)
History: P.A. 96-233 included other state service or service as an elected official or any combination of such service for purposes of longevity credit for determination of retirement salary; P.A. 11-61 added Subsec. (c) re definition of “salary” for purposes of determining both the retirement salary of judges who first commenced service on or after July 1, 2011, and the allowance payable to their surviving spouses, and added Subsec. (d) re limitation on amount of retirement salary on or after September 2, 2011, effective upon approval by the General Assembly of the agreement between the state and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, signed by both parties on May 27, 2011, pursuant to P.A. 11-61, S. 165; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 11-1 provided that P.A. 11-61, S. 148, shall take effect upon approval by the General Assembly of an agreement between the state and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition described in P.A. 11-61, S. 165, as amended by June Sp. Sess. P.A. 11-1, effective July 1, 2011, and further provided that P.A. 11-61, S. 148, is repealed, effective September 1, 2011, if an agreement between the state and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition has not been approved pursuant to P.A. 11-61, S. 165, as amended by June Sp. Sess. P.A. 11-1, by September 1, 2011 (Revisor's note: The agreement between the state and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition referenced in June Sp. Sess. P.A. 11-1, S. 12, 16, was deemed approved by the General Assembly on August 22, 2011, pursuant to P.A. 11-61, S. 165, as amended by June Sp. Sess. P.A. 11-1, S. 11); June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 amended Subsec. (b) by adding “and prior to July 1, 2011” re calculation of retirement salary for judges commencing service on or after January 1, 1981, and amended Subsec. (d) by substituting “on and after October 2, 2011” for “on or after September 2, 2011” and deleting reference to family support magistrate or compensation commissioner, effective June 15, 2012.
Cited. 213 C. 54.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Section 51-39a. - Use of judicial office for financial gain prohibited.
Section 51-40. - Practice of law by judges restricted.
Section 51-44a. - Judicial Selection Commission. Members. Duties. Nomination of judges by Governor.
Section 51-45. - Resignation of judges or family support magistrates.
Section 51-45a. - Admonishment of judge or family support magistrate by Chief Court Administrator.
Section 51-46a. - Statement of financial interests to be reported.
Section 51-47a. - Appropriations.
Section 51-47b. - Compensation of senior judges and referees.
Section 51-47c. - Commission on Judicial Compensation. Members. Duties.
Section 51-48. - Payment of expenses of judges.
Section 51-49a. - Vested and nonforfeitable right to retirement salary after ten years of service.
Section 51-49e. - Judge's Retirement Fund.
Section 51-49h. - Credit for military service.
Section 51-50. - Retirement at age seventy or for disability.
Section 51-50b. - Retirement contribution.
Section 51-50d. - Duties and powers of senior judges.
Section 51-50e. - Senior judge may complete matters after expiration of his assignment.
Section 51-50f. - Powers of certain state referees.
Section 51-50g. - Chief Court Administrator may make new assignments.
Section 51-50h. - Power of retired judges to decide small claims.
Section 51-50i. - Senior judges, reappointment, successors.
Section 51-50k. - Private practice of law prohibited.
Section 51-50l. - Retired senior judges eligible for appointment as state referees.