In accordance with HB2384, under the 86th Texas Legislature, legislative changes were made to judicial compensation at various levels. Subject to any salary requirements imposed under state law, the Commissioners Court sets the salary of each County Court at Law Judge.

While the Court maintains the option of paying its County Court at Law judges any salary between the required minimum salary, up to the maximum salary ($193,400), during the recent budget hearings for FY20, the Court agreed to pay its County Court at Law Judges in the following tiered levels based on their years of experience:

• 0-4 years:   $157,000/year
• 4-8 years:   $171,000/year
• 8-12 years: $185,000/year
• 12+ years:  $193,400/year

In accordance with the new law, years of service for determining the appropriate salary tier include any years of service as a justice or judge of an appellate court, district court, statutory county court, multicounty statutory county court, or statutory probate court.

HB2384 does not require prior service as a municipal judge, justice of the peace, constitutional county court judge, associate judge, referee, master, or magistrate be considered when placing them in their respective tiers. Should the Court choose to consider prior service from this list, a policy outlining those requirements should be made clear.