2021 Colorado Code
Title 13 - Courts and Court Procedure
Article 30 - Compensation of Justices and Judges
§ 13-30-103. Compensation of Justices and Judges

1. In addition to the provisions of section 13-30-104, the following salaries for the following officers shall apply:
   1. The chief justice of the supreme court shall receive effective July 1, 1991, an annual salary of seventy-nine thousand dollars, and effective July 1, 1992, an annual salary of eighty-two thousand dollars.
   2. Each associate justice of the supreme court shall receive effective July 1, 1991, an annual salary of seventy-six thousand five hundred dollars, and effective July 1, 1992, an annual salary of seventy-nine thousand five hundred dollars.
   3. The chief judge of the court of appeals shall receive effective July 1, 1991, an annual salary of seventy-four thousand five hundred dollars, and effective July 1, 1992, an annual salary of seventy-seven thousand five hundred dollars.
   4. Each judge of the court of appeals, other than the chief judge, shall receive effective July 1, 1991, an annual salary of seventy-two thousand dollars, and effective July 1, 1992, an annual salary of seventy-five thousand dollars.
   5. The judges of the district courts shall each receive effective July 1, 1991, an annual salary of sixty-seven thousand five hundred dollars, and effective July 1, 1992, an annual salary of seventy thousand five hundred dollars.
   6. Each judge of the juvenile court of the city and county of Denver shall receive effective July 1, 1991, an annual salary of sixty-seven thousand five hundred dollars, and effective July 1, 1992, an annual salary of seventy thousand five hundred dollars.
   7. The judge of the probate court of the city and county of Denver shall receive effective July 1, 1991, an annual salary of sixty-seven thousand five hundred dollars, and effective July 1, 1992, an annual salary of seventy thousand five hundred dollars.
   8. Repealed.
   9. Each judge of the county court of the city and county of Denver shall receive an annual salary as provided by the ordinances of said city and county.
   10. The annual salary of judges of the county court in Class B counties, as defined in section 13-6-201, effective July 1, 1991, shall be sixty thousand five hundred dollars, and effective July 1, 1992, shall be sixty-three thousand five hundred dollars.
   11. Repealed.
   12. 1. Effective July 1, 1998, the annual salary of judges of the county court in each Class C or Class D county, as defined in section 13-6-201, and the annual salaries of all special associate, associate, and assistant county judges shall be determined annually by the chief justice and certified to the general assembly and the controller pursuant to procedures approved by the supreme court. The certification shall include the workload measures developed pursuant to subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (l). In determining the salaries to take effect on July 1 of each year, the chief justice shall use the average number of cases filed annually in each county court during the three-year period ending on the previous December 31. (l) (I) Effective July 1, 1998, the annual salary of judges of the county court in each Class C or Class D county, as defined in section 13-6-201, and the annual salaries of all special associate, associate, and assistant county judges shall be determined annually by the chief justice and certified to the general assembly and the controller pursuant to procedures approved by the supreme court. The certification shall include the workload measures developed pursuant to subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (l). In determining the salaries to take effect on July 1 of each year, the chief justice shall use the average number of cases filed annually in each county court during the three-year period ending on the previous December 31.
       2. Procedures used to calculate incremental part-time county judge workload salary levels shall be based on the method used to determine the need for full-time county judges as established and approved by the supreme court and shall take into account case types, case processing requirements, support staff assistance, travel, and such other factors as are relevant to workload assessment. Salaries for part-time county judges shall begin at twenty percent of the amount of a full-time county judge salary, as specified in paragraph (j) of this subsection (1) and section 13-30-104, and increase by five percent increments commensurate with increases in the part-time county judge's workload, up to ninety percent of a full-time county judge workload.
       3. When the workload for a part-time county judge reaches eighty percent of a full-time county judge workload, the chief justice may assign the part-time county judge to serve on a full-time basis, so long as the part-time county judge meets the qualifications established for county judges in Class A and Class B counties, as specified in section 13-6-203. Upon assignment to serve on a full-time basis, the part-time county judge shall be paid the full amount of a county judge salary as specified in paragraph (j) of this subsection (1) and section 13-30-104. Assignment of a part-time county judge to serve on a full-time basis pursuant to this subparagraph (III) shall not affect the statutory classification of the county in which the part-time county judge serves, as specified in section 13-6-201.
       4. Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (l), the salary of a county judge or special associate, associate, or assistant county judge serving in office as of June 30, 1998, may not be reduced while such judge remains in office. Any reduction in salary for a judge appointed after June 30, 1998, shall take effect at the beginning of such judge's next term of office. (1.5) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 1999, and each fiscal year thereafter, the increase over and above the provisions set forth in this section and section 13-30-104 , if any, in compensation of justices and judges shall be determined by the general assembly as set forth in the annual general appropriations bill. Any increase in judicial compensation set forth in an annual general appropriations bill shall be an increase only for the fiscal year of the annual general appropriations bill in which the amount is specified and shall not constitute an increase for any other fiscal year. It is the intent of the general assembly that an increase in judicial compensation specified in an annual general appropriations bill shall be added to the compensation set forth in this section and section 13-30-104 and shall not represent a statutory change.

2. The annual salaries under this section and as increased by the annual general appropriations bill for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 1999, and for each fiscal year thereafter, shall be paid in equal monthly amounts.

History. Source: L. 71: P. 581, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 56-7-3. L. 72: P. 319, § 1. L. 73: P. 634, § 1. L. 76: (1)(b) amended, p. 301, § 30, effective May 20; (2) and (10) amended, p. 591, § 2, effective July 1. L. 77: (10) R&RE, p. 783, § 3, effective July 1, 1978. L. 78: Entire section amended, p. 391, § 1, effective January 1, 1979. L. 80: Entire section R&RE, p. 575, § 2, effective July 1. L. 84: IP(1) and (1)(a) to (1)(h) R&RE, p. 455, § 5, effective July 1. L. 85: (1)(h) repealed, p. 572, § 12, effective November 14, 1986. L. 87: IP(1), (1)(a) to (1)(g), (1)(j), and (1)(k)(I) amended, p. 560, § 2, effective July 1. L. 91: IP(1), (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(c), (1)(d), (1)(e), (1)(f), (1)(g), and (1)(j) amended, p. 378, § 1, effective July 1. L. 97: (1)(k)(V) and (1)(l) added, p. 767, §§ 1, 2, effective May 1. L. 98: (1.5) added and (2) amended, p. 957, § 1, effective May 27. History. Source: L. 71: P. 581, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 56-7-3. L. 72: P. 319, § 1. L. 73: P. 634, § 1. L. 76: (1)(b) amended, p. 301, § 30, effective May 20; (2) and (10) amended, p. 591, § 2, effective July 1. L. 77: (10) R&RE, p. 783, § 3, effective July 1, 1978. L. 78: Entire section amended, p. 391, § 1, effective January 1, 1979. L. 80: Entire section R&RE, p. 575, § 2, effective July 1. L. 84: IP(1) and (1)(a) to (1)(h) R&RE, p. 455, § 5, effective July 1. L. 85: (1)(h) repealed, p. 572, § 12, effective November 14, 1986. L. 87: IP(1), (1)(a) to (1)(g), (1)(j), and (1)(k)(I) amended, p. 560, § 2, effective July 1. L. 91: IP(1), (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(c), (1)(d), (1)(e), (1)(f), (1)(g), and (1)(j) amended, p. 378, § 1, effective July 1. L. 97: (1)(k)(V) and (1)(l) added, p. 767, §§ 1, 2, effective May 1. L. 98: (1.5) added and (2) amended, p. 957, § 1, effective May 27.

Subsection (1)(k)(V) provided for the repeal of subsection (1)(k), effective July 1, 1998. (See L. 97, p. 767 .)

For compensation of judges outside county of residence, see § 13-3-110 .

Nothing in the language of former subsection (1)(k)(I) indicates or implies that the county court judge salary calculation formula was contractual in nature or that it could not be modified or amended in the future. Alderton v. State of Colo., 17 P.3d 817 (Colo. App. 2000).