Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1951 NO. 451 >

1. The fixed salary of a justice of the peace cannot be increased without legislative enactment.  2. The constitutional prohibition against increase or diminution of salary of a justice of peace during his term of office cannot be evaded by failure of the justice of qualify until after the effective date of the law.  3. The constitutional inhibition would apply to a justice of the peace who resigned and was appointed by the county commissioners to the same office after the salary had been changed by legislation.