# § 172. Tenure and salaries of judges
**(a)** Each judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims shall be appointed for a term of fifteen years.
**(b)** Each judge shall receive a salary at the rate of pay, and in the same manner, as judges of the district courts of the United States.
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**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 898; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 105(a), Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 27; Pub. L. 100–702, title X, § 1023, Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 4673; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 902(a)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4516.)
### Historical and Revision Notes
This section applies to the judges of the Court of Claims the same rule of precedence applicable to judges of other courts. (See sections 45, 136, 212, and 253 of this title.)
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
1992—Subsec. (a). substituted “United States Court of Federal Claims” for “United States Claims Court”.
1988—Subsec. (b). amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “Each judge shall receive a salary at an annual rate determined under section 225 of the Federal Salary Act of 1967 (), as adjusted by .”
1982— amended section generally, substituting provisions relating to tenure and salaries of judges (formerly contained in section 173) for provisions relating to precedence of judges. See .
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .
### Statutory Notes and Executive Documents
### Salary Increases
For increases in salaries of judges after , see notes set out under relating to salary increases for district judges.
1988—Salaries of judges continued at $82,500 per annum by Ex. Ord. No. 12622, , 53 F.R. 222, formerly set out as a note under .
1987—Salaries of judges increased to $82,500 per annum, on recommendation of the President of the United States, see note set out under , The Congress.
Salaries of judges increased to $72,300 effective on first day of first pay period beginning on or after , by Ex. Ord. No. 12578, , 52 F.R. 505, formerly set out as a note under , Government Organization and Employees.
1985—Salaries of judges increased to $70,200 effective on first day of first pay period beginning on or after , by Ex. Ord. No. 12496, , 50 F.R. 211, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12540, , 51 F.R. 577, formerly set out as a note under .
1984—Salaries of judges set at $67,800 effective on first day of first pay period beginning on or after , by Ex. Ord. No. 12456, , 49 F.R. 347, as amended Ex. Ord. No. 12477, , 49 F.R. 22041; Ex. Ord. No. 12487, , 49 F.R. 36493, formerly set out as a note under .
1982—Salaries of judges set at $65,200 effective on first day of first pay period beginning on or after , by Ex. Ord. No. 12387, , 47 F.R. 44981, formerly set out as a note under . Ex. Ord. No. 12387 further provided that pursuant to funds are not available to pay a salary at a rate which exceeds the rate in effect on , which was $57,500.
Maximum rate payable after , increased from $57,500 to $65,200, see –(d), , , set out as a note under .
Limitations on use of funds for fiscal year ending , appropriated by any Act to pay the salary or pay of any individual in legislative, executive, or judicial branch in position equal to or above level V of the Executive Schedule, see , as amended, set out as a note under .
1981—Salaries of judges increased to $74,300 effective on first day of first pay period beginning on or after , by Ex. Ord. No. 12330, , 46 F.R. 50921, formerly set out as a note under .
Limitations on use of funds for fiscal year ending , appropriated by any Act to pay the salary or pay of any individual in legislative, executive, or judicial branch in position equal to or above level V of the Executive Schedule, see sections 101(g) and 141 of , set out as a note under .
1980—Salaries of judges increased to $70,900 effective on first day of first pay period beginning on or after , by Ex. Ord. No. 12248, , 45 F.R. 69199, formerly set out as a note under . Ex. Ord. No. 12248 further provided that pursuant to funds are not available to pay a salary at a rate which exceeds the rate in effect on , which was $60,662.50.
Limitations on use of funds for fiscal year ending , appropriated by any Act to pay the salary or pay of any individual in legislative, executive, or judicial branch in position equal to or above level V of the Executive Schedule, see , as amended, set out as a note under .
1979—Salaries of judges increased to $65,000 effective on first day of first pay period beginning on or after , by Ex. Ord. No. 12165, , 44 F.R. 58671, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12200, , 45 F.R. 16443, formerly set out as a note under . Ex. Ord. No. 12165 further provided that pursuant to funds appropriated for fiscal year 1980 may not be used to pay a salary at a rate which exceeds an increase of 5.5 percent over the applicable rate payable for such position or office in effect on , which was $60,662.50.
Applicability to funds appropriated by any Act for fiscal year ending , of limitation of on use of funds to pay the salary or pay of any individual in legislative, executive, or judicial branch in position equal to or above Level V of the Executive Schedule, see , set out as a note under .
1978—Salaries of judges increased to $60,700 effective on first day of first pay period beginning on or after , by Ex. Ord. No. 12087, , 43 F.R. 46823, formerly set out as a note under . Ex. Ord. No. 12087 further provided that pursuant to the Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1979 [, , , set out as a note under ], funds are not available to pay a salary at a rate which exceeds the rate in effect on , which was $57,500.
1977—Salaries of judges increased to $57,500 per annum, on recommendation of the President of the United States, see note set out under , The Congress.
1976—Salaries of judges increased to $46,800 effective on first day of first pay period beginning on or after , see Ex. Ord. No. 11941, , 41 F.R. 43889, formerly set out as a note under , Government Organization and Employees. Ex. Ord. No. 11941, further provided that pursuant to the Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1977, funds are not available to pay a salary at a rate which exceeds the rate in effect on , which was $44,600.
1969—Salaries of judges increased from $33,000 to $42,500 per annum, commencing , on recommendation of the President of the United States, see note set out under , The Congress.
1946—Salaries of chief judge and associate judges increased from $12,500 to $17,500 a year by , .
1926—Salary of Chief Justice, now chief judge, increased from $8,000 to $12,500 a year, and salaries of associate justices, now judges, increased from $7,500 to $12,500 a year by , .
1919—Salary of Chief Justice increased from $6,500 to $8,000 a year, and salaries of associate justices increased from $6,000 to $7,500 a year by , .
1911—Salary of chief justice set at $6,500, and salaries of associate justices set at $6,000 by Judicial Code of 1911, , .