After January 16, 1977, each district judge who comes under the provisions of Article 1 of this chapter by election or by operation of law shall contribute to the Judicial Retirement Fund annually, payable in equal monthly installments, four and one-half percent of his annual compensation paid by the State of Alabama; provided, that after February 1, 1977, the rate of contribution to be paid by such judge shall be six percent of his salary derived from the State of Alabama, but such increased rate of contribution shall not be effective until February 1, 1977. For all pay dates beginning on or after October 1, 2011, the contribution to be paid by the judges shall be eight and one-quarter percent (8.25%) of their salary. For all pay dates beginning on or after October 1, 2012, the rate of contribution to be paid by the judges shall be eight and one-half percent (8.5%) of their salary. Such percentages shall be deducted by the state Comptroller from each such judge's salary and paid into the Judicial Retirement Fund in the State Treasury and credited to the individual account of the judge from whose salary it was deducted.

The Supreme Court of Alabama may provide that the state shall pickup member contributions to the Judicial Retirement Fund, as required by Section 12-18-5 and this section, on behalf of all appellate justices or judges, circuit and district judges who participate in the judicial retirement fund and that the counties shall pickup member contributions to the Judicial Retirement Fund, as required by Section 12-18-81, on behalf of all probate judges who participate in the Judicial Retirement Fund, by a corresponding reduction in the salary of the member, such pickup to be mandatory for all such judges, and the contributions so picked up shall be treated as employer contributions in determining tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code. These contributions shall be paid from the same source of funds which is used in paying earnings to the member. If member contributions are so picked up they shall be treated for all other purposes of state law in the same manner and to the same extent as member contributions made prior to the date picked up.