Judicial Watch Files New Brief in Judicial “Double Dipping” Lawsuit

We hear a lot about corruption in Congress, but sometimes there is corruption in the courts. Judicial Watch continues to move forward aggressively with its lawsuit over Los Angeles County’s judicial “double dipping” compensation scheme. As you may recall, according to Judicial Watch’s initial complaint, since 2001 Los Angeles County judges have received more than $107 million in duplicate payments and benefits they are already receiving from the state.

If you want to review our latest legal arguments and some new facts about the issue in detail, please feel free to read our most recent court filing in full. In 1997, the California State Legislature enacted a piece of legislation, known as the Lockyer Isenberg Trial Court Funding Act, which required the State of California to, “assume sole responsibility for the funding of trial court operations,” including salaries and benefits beginning on July 1, 1997. In other words, from that point forward, judges were no longer considered county employees.

However, in clear defiance of the California State Constitution and California law, Los Angeles County continued to use taxpayer funds to compensate judges in the form of “local judicial benefits.” What do we mean by “local judicial benefits?” Here’s an example.

Even though judges receive a full benefits package from the State of California, Los Angeles County also provides them $27,324 annually in cash allowances to purchase on a pre-tax basis additional health, life, disability and other benefits. Given that there are no requirements as to how the money must be spent, judges may either purchase the benefits or keep the cash allowance as taxable income.

Such duplicate payments not only violate state law and the California State Constitution but, Judicial Watch argues, also “constitute an unlawful waste of public assets.”

Don’t get me wrong. Judges perform an important function in our society, and they deserve to be compensated fairly. But the system in Los Angeles is unlawful and corrupt and it must be fixed.

Sturgeon v. Los Angeles County, et al.
LINK

In 1998, the state of California took over funding of all state trial court operations, including responsibility for payment of salaries and benefits to trial court judges. Los Angeles County, which is home to one of the largest trial court systems in the United States, continues to pay "local judicial benefits" to its judges to supplement the compensation and benefits they received from the state. This "double dipping" by trial court judges costs Los Angeles County taxpayers an estimated $20 million per year. In the spring of 2006, Judicial Watch intends to file a "citizen-taxpayer" lawsuit against the county seeking to have these payments declared unlawful and to enjoin future payments. While Judicial Watch firmly believes that all judges should be adequately and fairly compensated for their very important work, such compensation must be paid in strict accordance with the law. The case demonstrates Judicial Watch’s continuing efforts to promote integrity in the judicial system and commitment to the rule of law.

Legal Documents

Request for Notice
Response to Material Facts
Appendix of Authorities in Opposition to Motion for Summary Judgment
Declaration in Support of Opposition to Motion for Summary Judgment
Opposition to Motion for Summary Judgment
Original Complaint
Press Releases

Judicial Watch Files Lawsuit Against Los Angeles County for Allowing Judges to "Double-Dip" on Benefits, Perks (Apr 24, 2006)