Midlevel appeals court rejects judges’ lawsuit for pay raises

ALBANY — A midlevel appeals court has rejected judges’ claims that they must get pay raises because a decade of inflation has unconstitutionally eroded their earnings.

The Appellate Division of state Supreme Court in Albany, in a 4-1 ruling Thursday, dismissed one of three pending lawsuits meant to boost pay for 1,250 state-level judges.

The majority said New York’s constitution gives authority over judicial pay to the Legislature, finding no evidence lawmakers withheld raises to punish judges.