Pursuant to the Act, the service relationship of a judge of the Tribunal is established after taking an oath. Only two judges took the oath personally before the president and only they have a certain financial situation, as confirmed by the Constitutional Tribunal's spokeswoman.
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Four judges with no chance of receiving a tribunal salary
The President of the Constitutional Tribunal did not establish an official relationship with the four judges who took their oath only in the Sejm. He informed them that he had not received any notification from the Chancellery of the President about their oath and could not accept that they had taken office.
Although everyone appears at the Tribunal and sends letters, they cannot count on stability and salary in the near future, even though they had to give up their current jobs.
However, the judges we talked to emphasize that they will not be blackmailed. — Let the president or the president of the Constitutional Tribunal not expect that we will resign from office for financial reasons. We were ready for such a scenario, we are prepared – the judges tell us.
However, they do not reveal what next steps they will take. For now, they are waiting for responses to the submitted letters, including: from the President of the Constitutional Tribunal, and they show up at the Tribunal ready to work
Maciej Taborowskideciding to be a judge of the Constitutional Tribunal, he had to give up his job at a law firm, which was his main source of income.
Similarly, legal advisor Marcin Dziurda, had to give up many of his professional activities.
A judge of the Constitutional Tribunal cannot run a business and cannot be a member of the management board, supervisory board or audit committee of a company, cooperative or foundation conducting business activities, or own more than 10 percent. shares or shares.
While sitting on the Constitutional Tribunal, you can only conduct activities that can be reconciled with the principles of independence and impartiality of judges, e.g. scientific activities.
Read also: After the Sejm oath, a wave of attacks broke out. Notaries say: enough is enough
Judges in a difficult situation
Krystian Markiewicz resigned from the office of judge of the District Court in Katowice. This means that he also waived his judicial salary. The basic salary is over PLN 23,000. PLN gross, to which an internship allowance must be added.
His asset declaration for 2024 shows that he additionally receives income from copyrights, as well as PLN 57.5 thousand. PLN for serving as the chairman of the Codification Commission of the Judiciary and Prosecutor's Office. It is this committee that prepares draft laws aimed at repairing the justice system after the PiS government.
In 2024, the judge still had savings of PLN 80,000. PLN and 2 thousand euros, but he also paid off the mortgage on the house.
Additional income of judge Krystian Markiewicz disclosed in the asset declaration for 2024.
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Court of Appeal in Katowice
Judge Anna Korwin-Piotrowska has resigned from the position of president of the District Court in Opole for the time being. She did not resign from the office because, in her opinion, it expired on April 10 this year at the latest. He explains his situation in a letter to the Minister of Justice, Waldemar Żurek.
“To the best of my knowledge, on April 10, 2026 at the latest, I effectively took up the office of a judge of the Constitutional Tribunal, and as a result, the position of a judge of the District Court in Opole was implicitly terminated, and in the technical and organizational sense, it was transformed into the position of a judge of the Constitutional Tribunal,” writes Judge Korwin-Piotrowska. And that is why he does not intend to submit a declaration of resignation from office.
The judge draws attention to one more aspect. “My resignation from office would result in the need to transfer social security contributions to ZUS for 27 years, which would be devoid of rationality considering not paying such contributions from the remuneration of a judge of the Constitutional Tribunal and not using the general pension system after retirement,” writes the judge.
Will he receive remuneration for April from the District Court in Opole? We asked about it and are waiting for an answer.
Anna Korwin-Piotrowska's declaration of assets for 2024 shows that she has no additional income, like judge Markiewicz.
Anna Korwin-Piotrowska property declaration for 2024
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Court of Appeal in Wrocław
The tribunal's salaries will be transferred to the accounts of two judges who took the oath twice: in the Sejm and in person before the president.
This is how you make money at the Constitutional Tribunal
— Newly sworn-in judges, Dr. Magdalena Bentkowska and Dr. Hab. Dariusz Szostek, took office, were appointed to adjudicating panels and were assigned the first cases to hear. The remuneration due to judges of the Constitutional Tribunal for April will be paid by the 29th day of the month, informs Weronika Ścibor, spokeswoman for the Constitutional Tribunal.
These will be significant amounts. The basis for the basic salary in a given year is the average salary in the second quarter of the previous year, announced by the President of the Central Statistical Office. This means that gross salary is PLN 43,743.15 (five times PLN 8,748.63). Next year it may be even more, because the remuneration for the fourth quarter of 2025 increased to PLN 9,197.79
To this should be added the so-called internship, maximum 20%. Moreover, judges of the Constitutional Tribunal permanently residing outside the capital city Warsaw is entitled to free accommodation in the capital city of Warsaw. Warsaw and reimbursement of travel costs and allowance for separation from family. They will probably be received by Dariusz Szostek, who is associated with Katowice.
No ZUS contributions
Importantly, judges do not pay social security contributions (ZUS), which increases their net remuneration. They only pay National Health Fund contributions (health insurance) and tax.
However, as Judge Korwin-Piotrowska notes, in the event of resignation from the office of a common court judge, contributions due for the period of service are transferred to ZUS.
However, this also means that the judge loses the right to retirement and a judicial pension 75 percent last salary basic salary with a bonus for long service.
