(a) Any judge of the Superior Court, the Appellate Court or the Supreme Court who first commenced service as a judge prior to January 1, 1981, may elect to receive the retirement salary provided under subsection (b) of section 51-50. The surviving spouse of a deceased judge who has made an election under this section shall receive the allowances provided under subsection (b) of section 51-51.

(b) Any such judge, any family support magistrate or any compensation commissioner who is a veteran may receive credit for retirement purposes for military service, if such judge, family support magistrate or compensation commissioner makes retirement contributions for each month of military service equal to one-twelfth of five per cent of his first year's salary as a judge, family support magistrate or compensation commissioner multiplied by the total number of months of such military service, except that (1) no retirement contribution shall be made for service as a prisoner of war, and (2) no credit shall be allowed for military service to any such judge, family support magistrate or compensation commissioner who has served less than ten years as a judge, family support magistrate or compensation commissioner, nor for more than fifty per cent of such military service or three years, whichever is less. Service credit for military service for retirement purposes other than service as a prisoner of war shall not be granted until payment of contributions is completed. Any application for military service credit under this section for service as a prisoner of war shall be accompanied by sufficient proof from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that such judge, family support magistrate or compensation commissioner is a former prisoner of war.

(c) For purposes of this section: (1) “Armed forces” means the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force; (2) “veteran” means any person honorably discharged from, or released under honorable conditions from active service in, the armed forces; (3) “military service” shall be service during World War II, December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946; the Korean hostilities, June 27, 1950, to October 27, 1953; and the Vietnam era, January 1, 1964, to July 1, 1975, and shall include service as a prisoner of war.

(P.A. 86-295, S. 2, 3; P.A. 92-226, S. 10, 28; P.A. 98-197, S. 4, 8; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 100, 121; P.A. 18-72, S. 40.)

History: P.A. 92-226 extended provisions of section to include family support magistrates; P.A. 98-197 amended Subsec. (b) by permitting compensation commissioners to purchase military service credit for retirement purposes, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 18-72 amended Subsec. (b) to replace reference to Veterans' Administration with reference to United States Department of Veterans Affairs.