Sec. 659.012. JUDICIAL SALARIES. (a) Notwithstanding Section 659.011 and subject to Subsections (b) and (b-1):

(1) a judge of a district court is entitled to an annual base salary from the state as set by the General Appropriations Act in an amount equal to at least $140,000, except that the combined base salary of a district judge from all state and county sources, including compensation for any extrajudicial services performed on behalf of the county, may not exceed the amount that is $5,000 less than the maximum combined base salary from all state and county sources for a justice of a court of appeals other than a chief justice as determined under this subsection;

(2) a justice of a court of appeals other than the chief justice is entitled to an annual base salary from the state in the amount equal to 110 percent of the state base salary of a district judge as set by the General Appropriations Act, except that the combined base salary of a justice of the court of appeals other than the chief justice from all state and county sources, including compensation for any extrajudicial services performed on behalf of the county, may not exceed the amount that is $5,000 less than the base salary for a justice of the supreme court as determined under this subsection;

(3) a justice of the supreme court other than the chief justice or a judge of the court of criminal appeals other than the presiding judge is entitled to an annual base salary from the state in the amount equal to 120 percent of the state base salary of a district judge as set by the General Appropriations Act; and

(4) the chief justice or presiding judge of an appellate court is entitled to an annual base salary from the state in the amount equal to $2,500 more than the state base salary provided for the other justices or judges of the court, except that the combined base salary of the chief justice of a court of appeals from all state and county sources may not exceed the amount equal to $2,500 less than the base salary for a justice of the supreme court as determined under this subsection.

(b) A judge or justice for whom the amount of a state base salary is prescribed by Subsection (a) is entitled to an annual salary from the state in the amount equal to:

(1) 110 percent of the state base salary paid in accordance with Subsection (a) for the judge's or justice's position, beginning with the pay period that begins after the judge or justice accrues four years of:

(A) contributing service credit in the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One or the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan Two;

(B) service as a judge of a statutory county court, multicounty statutory county court, or statutory probate court; or

(C) combined contributing service credit and service as provided by Paragraphs (A) and (B); and

(2) 120 percent of the state base salary paid in accordance with Subsection (a) for the judge's or justice's position, beginning with the pay period that begins after the judge or justice accrues eight years of:

(A) contributing service credit in the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One or the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan Two;

(B) service as a judge of a statutory county court, multicounty statutory county court, or statutory probate court; or

(C) combined contributing service credit and service as provided by Paragraphs (A) and (B).

(b-1) A limitation on the combined base salary from all state and county sources prescribed by Subsection (a)(1) or (2) applies to a judge or justice to whom Subsection (b) applies, except that the amount by which the annual salary from the state paid to the judge or justice in accordance with Subsection (b) exceeds the amount of the state base salary for the judge's or justice's position set by the General Appropriations Act in accordance with Subsection (a) is not included as part of the judge's or justice's combined base salary from all state and county sources for purposes of determining whether the judge's or justice's salary exceeds the limitation.

(c) To the extent of any conflict, the salary limitations provided by Subsection (a) for the combined base salary of a state judge or justice from state and local sources prevail over any provision of Chapter 31 or 32 that authorizes the payment of additional compensation to a state judge or justice.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section or other law, in a county with more than five district courts, a district judge who serves as a local administrative district judge under Section 74.091 is entitled to an annual base salary from the state in the amount equal to $5,000 more than the maximum salary from the state to which the judge is otherwise entitled under Subsection (a) or (b).

(e) For the purpose of salary payments by the state, the comptroller shall determine from sworn statements filed by the justices of the courts of appeals and district judges that the required salary limitations provided by Subsection (a) are maintained. If the state base salary for a judge or justice prescribed by Subsection (a) combined with additional compensation from a county would exceed the limitations provided by Subsection (a), the comptroller shall reduce the salary payment made by the state by the amount of the excess.

(f) For purposes of Subsection (b), "contributing service credit" means service credit established in the:

(1) Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One under Section 833.101 or 833.106 for each month of service in which the member held a judicial office described by Section 832.001(a), including service credit established under either section that was previously canceled but reestablished under Section 833.102; or

(2) Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan Two under Section 838.101 or 838.106 for each month of service in which the member held a judicial office described by Section 837.001(a), including service credit established under either section that was previously canceled but reestablished under Section 838.102.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 21, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1113, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 11), Sec. 1, eff. December 1, 2005.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 3.12, eff. January 1, 2012.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1121 (H.B. 2384), Sec. 17, eff. September 1, 2019.