Published October 1, 2026
A friend of mine got a jury summons last year and did what most people do: he Googled the pay rate, saw a number, and felt reassured. Then the trial ran four days, his employer did not pay for jury time, and he sat down afterward and did the subtraction he should have done at the start. The court's check covered about a quarter of what those four days would have earned him.
That gap is the real story of jury duty pay. The stipend exists. It just was never designed to replace wages.
What the court actually pays
Federal courts pay $50 per day of attendance, rising to $60 per day after 10 days on the same trial, at the judge's discretion. Federal jurors also get mileage reimbursement, currently $0.67 per mile, plus parking.
State courts set their own rates and the range is enormous. Some states pay as little as $5 or $6 a day. Several pay nothing for the first day or two of service. A handful have recently pushed above $50. Most trials last three to four days, so a typical state-court stint pays somewhere between $20 and $200 in total, before taxes.
Yes, taxes. Juror stipends are taxable income under federal law and must be reported on your return, even when the amounts are small. If your employer paid your regular salary during service and required you to hand over the jury check, you can claim a deduction that effectively cancels out the tax on it.
The gap, worked out
Take an hourly worker earning $22 an hour. An 8-hour day is $176. A federal court day pays $50. The gap is $126 per day. Over a typical four-day trial, that is $504 of lost income, minus the $6 or so in tax on the stipend. For a salaried worker at $75,000 a year, a day's pay is roughly $288, so the daily gap against a $50 stipend is $238, or $952 over four days.
In a state that pays $12.50 a day, the same four days leave the hourly worker $654 short. In a state paying $5 a day, the gap is $684. These are not catastrophic numbers for one trial, but they land hardest on the people least able to absorb them: hourly workers, tipped workers, gig workers, and the self-employed, none of whom have an employer smoothing it over.
What you can actually do about it
Ask about a hardship excuse or deferral. Courts excuse jurors when service would cause genuine financial hardship, and most judges have seen it all. Bring documentation: recent pay stubs, a letter from your employer confirming unpaid leave, monthly bills. "I will lose $500 this week and rent is due" with paperwork beats a vague complaint every time.
Ask to postpone. Many courts let you defer service once to a better time, such as a slower season at work or after a big expense passes. A deferral is not an excuse; you will serve later, but on your schedule.
Check your employer's policy before you panic. Plenty of employers pay for jury duty even where the law does not require it, often for a fixed number of days. Read the handbook and ask HR. Some union contracts include jury pay too.
Claim every reimbursement. Mileage, parking, and tolls add up over several days. Federal courts reimburse $0.67 per mile; state courts vary. Keep your receipts from day one.
My honest take on the fairness question
Juror pay is low because it was set as a token of civic duty, not as wage replacement, and most legislatures have not revisited the premise. I think that is a defensible philosophy for a one-day appearance and a bad one for a three-week trial. The hardship excuse exists precisely because the system knows the math does not work for everyone. Use it without guilt if you qualify. Serving on a jury is a genuine civic contribution, and the system works better when jurors are not quietly resenting every day they are there.
Frequently asked questions
Is jury duty pay taxable?
Yes. Federal law treats juror stipends as ordinary income. Report it on your tax return. Travel and parking reimbursements paid as separate line items are generally not taxable.
What if I cannot afford to serve?
Request a financial hardship excuse or a deferral from the court, with documentation of your income and expenses. Courts grant these routinely for hourly and self-employed workers.
Do I get paid for days I show up but am not selected?
Generally yes. The daily attendance fee covers days you report to the courthouse, including jury selection, not only days you sit on a trial.
See your state's numbers.
The Jury Duty Pay Calculator estimates your total court pay by state, with daily rates, mileage, and whether your employer must pay you during service.