INDIANAPOLIS — At the Statehouse, the Indiana House of Representatives unanimously advanced a bill that would increase the pay for jury-duty.
House Bill 1466 would be the first time jury pay has been increased in 25 years. State Rep. Michelle Davis’ (R-Whiteland) bill would double the pay to $80 a day while serving as a juror. Currently, Hoosiers get $40 per day.
For the first five days of a trial, juror’s will receive $80, but on the sixth day on the jury can expect $90 per day. The bill also increases the pay for a jury appearance fee from $15 per day to $30.
“Jury trials are a foundational piece of our criminal justice system in protecting the rights and liberties of our citizens,” Davis said. “Our current compensation is far below the current $7.25 minimum wage, which is not sustainable for most Hoosiers. This is an important step toward ensuring jurors are better compensated and boost citizen participation.”
Davis claims that judges around the state have been declaring mistrials, due to courts struggling to get people to serve on juries.
The bill will increase fees that are collected either from a defendant that has been found guilty of committing a crime or violating an infraction or ordinance, then it would also add a fee for filing civil tort or plenary action lawsuits.
The defendant would have the jury fee increased from $2 to $6, and the civil filing fee would be $75 – since the bill cites they also use juries. Revenues on the fees would go directly towards paying the jury.
Tuesday, Indiana’s House of Representatives unanimously voted to pass House Bill 1466, now it advances to the Indiana Senate.
