Musings on Careers in Law / The Heirarchy of Happiness

In general, judges seem to be among the happiest in the legal profession.  Trial judges are able to apply the law to sets of facts and must make rapid decisions regarding matters of both procedural and substantive law.  With the exception of occasionally or periodically having one of their decisions overturned by an appellate judge, trial judges are able to make binding decisions and control outcomes in a manner that can only be envied by lawyers and lay citizens alike.  Although there have been complaints (some of them valid) that judges do not make enough money, judges generally make more money than many lawyers.  While lawyers in large firms usually make more money than judges, the disparity in pay is surprisingly small in medium-sized cities that are not on the Coasts or in major metropolitan areas in the United States.