Cost-of-Living Adjustment for Certain Judicial Officers

A decision was requested concerning the authority of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to provide cost-of-living increases for certain judicial officers. The salary adjustment provisions of 28 U.S.C. 461 may be applied only to judicial officers expressly mentioned in the legislation, but part-time magistrates and citizen jury commissioners may have their salaries adjusted administratively under 5 U.S.C. 5307. Cost-of-living increases can be applied to the increment of compensation of combination referees in bankruptcy-magistrates under 28 U.S.C. 461 while cost-of-living increases of 5 U.S.C. 5307 may be applied to the increment of compensation for their magistrate duties.