Twenty years of schooling and they put you on the day shift
By Salaries in Massachusetts criminal courts:
Assistant District Attorney $37,500
Custodian $38,796
Public Defender $40,000
Switchboard Operator $42,834
Court Officer I $54,375
Administrative Assistant $56,217
Sessions Clerk $57,711
Law Librarian $66,059
Probation Officer $66,238
Research Attorney $72,703 (Is this what they call judicial clerks in MA?)
Court Reporter $77,496
Judge $144,694
Here’s part of one of the vignettes included in the report:
“My name is Cara Matern. I am a staff attorney with the Children and
Family Law Division. So I represent children and parents in child abuse
and neglect cases, which I would define as multi-party, complex litigation
that can pretty much last years, very specific law, very, very unique rules of
evidence. I explain it that way to show just how vital it is for our clients
that the attorneys are well trained and experienced in child abuse and
neglect. Personally, I attended Loyola University in Chicago as a child law
fellow and I focused on child abuse and neglect. …But I know we are here to discuss salary. So I will give you a little
breakdown of my stressful financial situation. My 2013 adjusted gross
income was $41,254. When I last checked on Monday, I owe $177,493.57 in
student loans. I will give you a little breakdown of two weeks in my life.
February 28th I was paid about $1,400. I had expenses that pay period,
including rent, totaling $1,215. That leaves a little under $200. Then I was
paid March 13, $1,371. That pay period I had expenses totaling $1,264.
That’s a little more than $100 left. I obviously have to rely on my parents a
lot to supplement. And, to your point, Chairman Campbell, my dad is a
retired post office worker and my mom is an RN. … I work with
traumatized clients. I, myself, have been traumatized at this work, and
then I go home and I worry about and have anxiety about my financial
situation. …
Note that Ms. Matern has a legal job, which is more than can be said for 142 of the 286 graduates of Loyola-Chicago’s 2013 class.