MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Fees, Salaries and Administration; Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Gordon

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 25-3-35, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE COMPENSATION OF THE FULL-TIME LEGAL ASSISTANTS EMPLOYED BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 25-3-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

25-3-35. (1) The annual salaries of the following judges are fixed as follows, to begin at the commencement of the next term of office immediately succeeding the existing term:

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court $100,900.00

Presiding Justice of the Supreme Court 98,900.00

Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, each 98,300.00

However, in addition to their present official duties, there are imposed upon the Supreme Court Justices the extra duties of making a special study of existing laws and reporting to each regular session of the Legislature such constructive suggestions as they may deem necessary for the improvement of the administration of justice, and of advising and counseling with the State Librarian in the selection of law books for purchase and use in the State Law Library, advising with the librarian thereof upon the removal from the library of any books which may be the least frequently used, and for the placing of same in a convenient location so as to provide additional space for such books and other current publications which may be more frequently used or called for. For such extra services each justice, from and after the effective date of Laws, 1997, Chapter 577, shall receive a sum sufficient when added to the present salaries of the justices to aggregate One Hundred Thousand Nine Hundred Dollars ($100,900.00) for the Chief Justice, Ninety-eight Thousand Nine Hundred Dollars ($98,900.00) for the Presiding Justice, and Ninety-eight Thousand Three Hundred Dollars ($98,300.00) for Associate Justices, per annum. As each existing term expires and the above-captioned salaries become effective in due course, the extra duties and compensation provided for shall cease.

(2) The annual salaries of the judges of the Court of Appeals of Mississippi are fixed as follows:

Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals $94,300.00

Associate Judges of the Court of Appeals

each 91,500.00

(3) The annual salaries of the chancery and circuit court judges are fixed as follows:

Chancery Judges, each $88,700.00

Circuit Judges, each 88,700.00

In addition to their present official duties, there are imposed upon the chancery and circuit court judges the extra duties of making a special study of existing laws relating to trial courts and reporting to the Supreme Court of the State of Mississippi such constructive suggestions as they may deem necessary for the improvement of the administration of justice, which shall be recommended to the Legislature by the Supreme Court in the manner provided by law. The judges shall advise and supervise in the purchase of law books for the libraries of each district, and shall study and evaluate the inventory of books and facilities now existing in the libraries of each district to effect the removal and relocation of obsolete publications so as to provide additional space for those books and current publications more frequently used. The judges shall study the existing rules promulgated by the circuit and chancery court judicial associations governing the operation of chancery and circuit courts, and revise the same pursuant to existing laws. For such extra services each judge, from and after the effective date of Laws, 1997, Chapter 577, shall receive a sum sufficient when added to the present salaries of the judges to aggregate Eighty-eight Thousand Seven Hundred Dollars ($88,700.00) per annum for each judge. Upon the expiration of the existing term, the above-captioned salaries become effective in due course, and the extra duties and compensation provided for shall cease.

(4) The Supreme Court shall prepare a payroll for chancery judges and circuit judges and submit such payroll to the Department of Finance and Administration.

(5) The annual salary of the full-time district attorneys shall be Seventy-nine Thousand Eight Hundred Thirty Dollars ($79,830.00).

(6) (a) The annual salary of the full-time legal assistants who have actively practiced law for less than two (2) years shall be not less than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) nor more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), as established by the district attorney. However, the maximum salary of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) shall not apply to any full-time legal assistant who has actively practiced law for less than two (2) years and whose salary exceeds Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) on July 1, 1999.

(b) The annual salary of full-time legal assistants who have actively practiced law for more than two (2) years, but less than six (6) years, shall not be less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) nor more than Sixty-seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($67,500.00), as established by the district attorney.

(c) The annual salary of full-time legal assistants who have actively practiced law for more than six (6) years, but less than ten (10) years, shall not be less than Sixty-seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($67,500.00) nor more than Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00), as established by the District Attorney.

(d) The annual salary of full-time legal assistants who have actively practiced law in excess of ten (10) years shall not be less than Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) and may, in the discretion of the district attorney, include an additional amount of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for each year the legal assistant has practiced law in excess of ten (10) years; provided, the total salary of the legal assistant shall not exceed Eighty-five Thousand Dollars ($85,000.00).

(e) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) through (d) of this subsection (6), a full-time legal assistant shall not receive an increase in salary which exceeds fifteen percent (15%) of the previous year's salary.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.