Lawyr.Org

Hope is dimming that Congress will pass a pay hike for federal judges this year -- despite some early legislative successes and behind-the-scenes lobbying by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. A 29 percent salary increase passed both the House and Senate Judiciary committees with the backing of civic groups and editorial writers nationwide. But then political and budget distractions slowed the momentum. Its fate may now be decided in the mad scramble of a post-election session of Congress at the end of 2008.