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The Judges Retirement System (JRS) is a contributory Plan administered by the Office of Retirement Services (ORS) under the Judges Retirement Act, Act 234 of 1992 as amended. Each member contributes a statutory percentage of their participation salary to the retirement fund. Accumulated contributions are transferred at retirement to the Pension Reserve Fund to help finance the retirement pension. Contributions paid to JRS on and after January 1, 1983 are deferred for tax purposes; contributions paid prior to January 1, 1983 and payments for out-of-system service are post-tax contributions. (Probate judge member contributions are pre-tax unless a local unit resolution has not been submitted to ORS providing for tax deferral of contributions to JRS. The effective date contained in the resolution determines the tax deferral date. A file of County Resolutions is maintained by ORS.) For salary and contribution purposes the membership of the system is categorized as follows:
| Plan | Court Category | Salary Participation | Contribution Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | State elected officials | Participate on total salary | 5.0% |
| Plan 2 | Supreme Court Justices, Court of Appeals judges, and State Court Administrators | Participate on total salary | 5.0% |
| Plan 3 (option a, b, or c) | Judges of Circuit, Recorder's, District (except plan 5 judges), and Probate Courts (except Plan 4, 6 and 7 probate judges) | 3(a) Participate on State Base salary only | 3.5% |
| 3(b) Participate on State base salary plus $2,250.00 of State salary standardization payment | 3.5% | ||
| 3(c) Participate on State base salary plus maximum salary standardization payment | 7.0% | ||
| Plan 4 | Partially Paid Probate judges | Participate on total salary | 7.0% |
| Plan 5 | Judges of 36th District Court | Participate on total salary | 3.5% |
| Plan 6 | Probate judges who were members of the former Probate Judges Retirement System (PJRS) under the 3% formula | Participate on total salary | 7.0% up to $980.00 |
| Plan 7 | Probate judges who were members of the former PJRS and who are not members of a county retirement plan | Participate on total salary | 7.0% |
Disability: JRS members who become physically or mentally totally and permanently disabled while serving in judicial office, or as a State official, are entitled to a disability benefit. Members with eight or more years of service but who have not satisfied the minimum age requirement of 60 years for regular retirement may apply for disability retirement. The member's physician and the Retirement System physician must certify that the member is totally and permanently disabled for the duties of the position, and the Judges Retirement Board must approve the disability pension. JRS members are not eligible for disability or sick leave. Accrual of service and judicial compensation continues until separation and/or retirement.
Disciplinary Action: JRS members who violate standards of judicial conduct may be suspended or removed from office. If the suspension is unpaid, member contributions and accrual of service time resumes when the suspension is lifted. Removal from office does not necessarily affect a member's entitlement to retirement benefits.
Reciprocal Retirement Act (Act 88 of 1961, as amended): Under certain conditions, Michigan governmental unit service may be combined with service performed under this Retirement System to qualify for a retirement pension. JRS members with four years of credited service who have accrued 30 months of service with a preceding unit must have retirement contributions covering the governmental unit service on deposit with that unit's retirement plan. In addition, there must not be more than a 15-year break in service between the prior governmental service and JRS service.
JRS members who took a refund of contributions from the previous governmental unit may contact their previous employer concerning repayment. Those allowed to redeposit a refund must do so within 5 years after JRS service commences. JRS members who apply for benefits based in part upon prior governmental unit employment must submit a letter from the governmental employer verifying dates of employment and certifying that contributions are on deposit. Governmental unit employment may be used to qualify for a retirement pension, but may not be used to calculate a retirement benefit.
Plan 3 - Participation: All trial judges receive a statutory maximum salary through both a State base salary and a "local supplement," or supplemental salary.
The State regulates the amount of the local supplement by reimbursing local funding units through State salary standardization payments; reimbursement requires the local supplement to be paid at the level set by statute. Dual salaries allow trial judges to be treated as both State and local employees. This also enables participation in JRS and a local retirement system.
In 1981, 1983, or within 30 days of taking office, plan 3 judges could elect to have a portion of their local salary "converted" or attributed to JRS. This election enabled JRS participation at one of three salary levels; the same portion of judicial salary is used to determine annual member contributions and calculation of retirement benefits:
|
Plan 3 |
Salary attributed to JRS |
Annual Member |
|---|---|---|
|
3a |
State Base Salary |
3.5% |
|
3b |
State Base Salary plus $2,250.00 |
3.5% |
|
3c |
State Base Salary plus 40% of local supplement |
7.0% |
If a plan 3 member did not return an election form, conversion of the maximum State salary standardization amount (3c) to JRS was automatic.
The Judges Retirement System's contributions for circuit and district judges are deducted from State payroll on a biweekly basis. Member contributions paid prior to January 1, 1983, for members on the State payroll are post-tax contributions.
Plan 3 - Participation Salary Data:
Circuit Judges (PDF Document)
District Judges (PDF Document)
Plan 3 - Salary Certification: The retirement statute requires that salary included under the Judges Retirement System must be deducted from the salary used to compute retirement benefits under a local retirement plan.
Plan 5 - 36th District Judges: Unlike other district judges, those in the 36th District participate in JRS at 100 percent of their total statutory salary and are not able to participate in a local retirement plan. Member contributions are deducted from the State base salary but computed from 3.5 percent of total statutory salary. Plan 5 District Court Judges Participation salary data (PDF Document).
Plan 3 - Participation: All trial judges receive a statutory maximum salary through both a State base salary and a "local supplement," or supplemental salary.
The State regulates the amount of the local supplement by reimbursing local funding units through State salary standardization payments; reimbursement requires the local supplement to be paid at the level set by statute. Dual salaries allow trial judges to be treated as both State and local employees. This also enables participation in JRS and a local retirement system.
In 1981, 1983, or within 30 days of taking office, plan 3 judges could elect to have a portion of their local salary "converted" or attributed to JRS. This election enabled JRS participation at one of three salary levels; the same portion of judicial salary is used to determine annual member contributions and calculation of retirement benefits:
|
Plan 3 |
Salary attributed to JRS |
Annual Member |
|---|---|---|
|
3a |
State Base Salary |
3.5% |
|
3b |
State Base Salary plus $2,250.00 |
3.5% |
|
3c |
State Base Salary plus 40% of local supplement |
7.0% |
If a plan 3 member did not return an election form, conversion of the maximum State salary standardization amount (3c) to the Judges Retirement System was automatic.
The local reporting unit submits probate judge contributions to ORS on a quarterly basis. Member contributions are sent from the county each quarter; contributions and the remittance form is due the l0th day following the end of each quarter.
Plan 3 - Participation Salary Data: Plan 3 probate judges participate in the Judges Retirement System at salary levels equal to that of circuit judges. Please refer to 2000 Compensation for Plan 3 Probate Judges Court Salaries (PDF Document).
Plan 3- Salary Certification: The retirement statute requires that salary included under JRS must be deducted from the salary used to compute retirement benefits under a local retirement plan.
Plan 4 - Partially Paid Probate Judges: Probate judges serving counties with a population of less than 15,000 receive a part-time salary and participate in the Judges Retirement System at 100 percent of their total statutory salary. Member contributions are equal to 7.0 percent of total statutory salary.
Plan 6 - Probate Judges: Some probate judges who were members of the former Probate Judges Retirement System (PJRS) under the 3 percent formula may be members of the Judges Retirement plan. Participation for Plan 6 members is based upon total statutory salary. For information concerning Plan 6 participation, please contact ORS at (517) 636-0166.
Plan 7- Probate Judges: Probate judges who were members of the former Probate Judges Retirement System (PJRS) under the 3.5 percent formula, and who are not participants in a county retirement plan may be members of the Judges Retirement plan. Participation for Plan 7 members is based upon total statutory salary. For information concerning Plan 7 participation, please contact ORS at (517) 636-0166.
Plan 2 - Court of Appeals Judges:
Justices of the Court of Appeals participate in the Judges Retirement System at 100 percent of their total judicial salary. Annual contributions to the system are equal to 5 percent of their salary. Health benefits are funded by 2.0 percent of the 5.0 percent contribution.
Plan 2 Participation Salary Data:
Court of Appeals Judges (PDF Document)
Plan 2 - Supreme Court Justices:
Justices of the Supreme Court participate in the Judges Retirement System at 100 percent of their total judicial salary. Annual contributions are equal to 5 percent of their salary. Health benefits are funded by 2.0 percent of the 5.0 percent contribution.
Plan 2 Participation Salary Data:
Supreme Court Justices (PDF Document)
Plan 1 – State elected officials
State elected officials participate in the Judges Retirement System at 100 percent of their total judicial salary. Annual contributions to the system are equal to 5 percent of their salary. Health benefits are funded by 2.0 percent of the 5.0 percent contribution.
Visiting Judge Assignments (Defined Benefit Plan): Section 226 of the Revised Judicature Act, P.A. 236 of 1961, provides for compensation of visiting judges at a daily rate computed from the following:
The difference between 1/250th of the annual salary paid for the judicial office during the time the retired judge serves in the office and 1/250th of the State retirement allowance paid to the retired judge during the time the retired judge serves in the office.
This visiting judge formula only applies to judges who currently draw a monthly retirement pension under the Defined Benefit Plan.
Example:
Retired circuit judge works one day in March 2001 in 3rd Circuit.
Retiree draws a monthly pension of $4,613.00.
Current total judicial salary for circuit court judges is $135,966.00.
Expressed as a daily rate, active circuit court judges get $543.86 per day, based upon a year with 250 working days.
Retiree's annual pension is $55,356.00 ($4,613.00 x 12 months), or $221.42 per day, based upon a year with 250 working days.
| Active circuit - daily rate | 543.86 |
| Pension - daily rate | -221.42 |
| Visiting judge rate | 322.44 |
The visiting judge formula DOES NOT apply to the following groups of judges:
