Law and Justice
Staff Contact:  Julie Murray

Courts
Although the 2005 Legislature took a historic step forward and committed to contributing state funding for district court judge salaries, counties still must pay about three-quarters of the salary for each district court judge and half the salary of each superior court judge. An independent commission continues to increase judicial salaries regardless of the economic situation and cost of living in the individual counties. In addition, counties pay all salaries and benefits of court personnel, and are responsible for constructing and maintaining all court facilities. Until 2006, when the state initiated what continues to be a relatively small grant program, counties also bore the full expense of providing public defenders in superior and district court.

WSAC Policy:
As subdivisions of the state, counties believe the state must take a greater role in funding state-mandated law and justice activities that are administered at the county level, such as superior and district courts. Counties believe the state also should assist in funding discretionary court services, such as drug and mental health courts that reduce impacts to state prisons and juvenile institutions and other costly state programs. As long as a state commission determines judges’ salaries, counties support a constitutional amendment to require the state to pay full salaries and benefits for superior court judges, and a substantially increased contribution for the salaries of district court judges. Counties support increased state funding for trial-level public defense to meet the state’s constitutional obligation to ensure effective assistance of counsel for indigent persons charged with crimes. Counties also support use of the state public works trust fund and public safety and education account for construction, remodeling and maintenance of court facilities.