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Bill

HB 4360

Relating generally to allowing the Supreme Court of Appeals discretion to create uniform pay scales for all levels of judicial support staff.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Clay Riley

Grants WV Supreme Court discretion to set uniform pay scales for judicial support staff statewide, potentially improving retention but raising budget and local autonomy concerns.

To House Finance
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Bill Summary · HB 4360

Legislative bill overview

HB 4360 grants West Virginia's Supreme Court of Appeals the discretionary authority to establish uniform pay scales for judicial support staff across all court levels. Currently, pay structure decisions may be fragmented or follow different standards. This bill centralizes compensation policy under the state's highest court.

Why is this important

Judicial support staff—including clerks, court reporters, and administrative personnel—are essential to court operations. Uniform pay scales could improve recruitment and retention, reduce staff turnover that disrupts case processing, and address equity concerns if different courts currently compensate similar roles differently. Conversely, this affects state budget allocation and may impact local court autonomy.

Potential points of contention

  • Budget implications: Standardizing pay upward could increase state judicial system costs significantly; standardizing downward could harm recruitment and morale
  • Local court autonomy: Some courts or counties may prefer independent compensation decisions based on local conditions and resources
  • Implementation scope: Unclear whether "all levels" means all court types statewide or just within the appellate system, and what flexibility exists for cost-of-living differences across regions

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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