How much does jury duty pay in Michigan? At least $25 for the first full day, $12.50 for a first half day, then $40 for each full day after that and $20 for each later half day. Those are statutory minimums under Michigan Compiled Laws 600.1344, and county boards of commissioners can pay more. If the state juror compensation reimbursement fund has enough money, the minimums rise to $30 for the first day and $45 for later days. Check with your local jury office for your county's actual rate, because the county number is the one on your check.
The worked math is simple, and it is worth doing before your service date. A 5 day trial pays $25 for day one plus $40 for each of days 2 through 5, which is $25 plus $160, or $185 total from the court, plus mileage for the round trip home to courthouse. A 10 day trial pays $25 plus 9 times $40, or $385. Those totals will not replace a paycheck, and for a self employed juror they barely dent a week of lost work. The point of running the numbers early is to plan the gap, not to be surprised by it.
How much does jury duty pay in Michigan: the employer rules that matter more
For most jurors, the employer rules matter more than the court pay. Michigan law protects your job: an employer who fires, disciplines, or threatens an employee for being summoned or serving commits a misdemeanor and can be held in contempt of court. Employers also may not force you to work extra hours on a jury day to make up court time if the combined hours would exceed your normal schedule. What Michigan does not do is require private employers to keep paying your salary while you serve. Many employers do pay anyway, as a policy or under a union contract, and some pay the difference between court pay and salary. Ask your employer before your service date, in writing, what the policy is. Do not assume.
You get paid even if you are never seated. Reporting for selection counts as service, and the first day rate applies whether you spend the day in the jury box or in the assembly room. You can also be called more than once in your life, but not more than once every 12 months, and people over 70 may request an age exemption. Hardship excuses exist, including lack of transportation, extreme financial burden, and caregiving responsibilities, but they are decided case by case and usually need documentation. A medical exemption needs a doctor's letter. A student claiming a class conflict needs a class schedule.
Watch out for the scam that targets Michigan jurors specifically. Courts do not call you to demand immediate payment for missed jury duty, and no government agency will ask you to pay a fine by phone with cash or prepaid cards. Real jury notices come by mail. If someone calls claiming you missed jury duty and must pay now to avoid arrest, hang up. A real penalty for skipping jury duty, which can include contempt fines or jail at a judge's discretion, is imposed by a judge in open court after you have had a chance to explain, not by a caller with a payment link.
My practical advice is boring and it works: the day you get the summons, call your jury office and confirm the county rate, the mileage rate, the parking situation, and the reporting instructions. Then ask your employer for the pay policy in writing, and ask the clerk for a certificate of service if your employer requires proof. Jurors who do those two things in advance spend their service worrying about the case. Jurors who do not spend it worrying about money and paperwork, which is a worse use of a week.
One thing I want to flag without overstating it: mileage rates are the least consistent part of Michigan jury pay in the sources I checked, with different county and court pages citing different minimums. Treat any mileage figure you see online as unconfirmed until your county jury office states it. The daily rates are statutory and solid. The mileage number is local, and local wins.
Frequently asked questions
How much does jury duty pay in Michigan?
At least $25 for the first full day and $40 for each full day after that. Half days pay $12.50 the first day and $20 after. County boards can pay more, and rates rise to $30 and $45 when the state juror compensation fund allows.
Do you get paid if you are not selected for jury duty in Michigan?
Yes. You are paid for each day you report, whether or not you are seated on a jury. The first day rate applies to the first day of service.
Does Michigan pay mileage for jury duty?
Yes. Jurors receive mileage reimbursement for the round trip between home and the courthouse, at a rate set by the county with a statutory minimum.
Can your employer fire you for jury duty in Michigan?
No. Michigan law makes it a misdemeanor for an employer to fire, discipline, or threaten an employee for jury service, and employers may not force makeup hours that push the day past the employee's normal schedule.
Does your employer have to pay your salary during jury duty in Michigan?
No. Michigan does not require private employers to continue paying your regular salary while you serve, though many employers do so voluntarily or under union contracts.
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