Narrative
Juror Compensation Explicitly Addressed State Law
Mich. Stat. § 600.151e. Juror compensation reimbursement fund; distribution; jury management software; technical assistance; report; conditions for reimbursement; payments; definitions.
Sec. 151e.
(1) The money in the juror compensation reimbursement fund must be distributed as provided in this section.
(2) The state court administrator is authorized to allocate funds from the juror compensation reimbursement fund to enter into a contract with a jury management software vendor to provide software and ongoing support and maintenance to all state trial courts.
(3) The state court administrator is authorized to provide funding from the juror compensation reimbursement fund for a position within the state court administrative office that provides technical assistance to all state trial courts on jury management in order to improve efficiency, reduce the number of citizens summoned unnecessarily for jury service, and reduce costs to state taxpayers for juror pay, mileage, and meals.
(4) The sum of money spent in subsections (2) and (3) must not diminish the amount reimbursed to court funding units as prescribed in subsection (7).
(5) Each court funding unit shall submit a report semiannually to the state court administrator for each court for which it is a funding unit providing the total amount of the expense incurred during the period for juror compensation.
(6) Each year, the state court administrator, at the direction of the supreme court and upon confirmation by the state treasurer of the total amount available in the fund, shall distribute from the fund the amount prescribed in subsection (7). However, reimbursements under this subsection are subject to both of the following:
(a) The state court administrator must be reimbursed semiannually from the fund for reasonable costs associated with the administration of this section, including expenditures under subsections (2), (3), and (4).
(b) If the amount available in the fund in any fiscal year is more than the amount needed to pay the entire reimbursement required under subsections (2), (3), and (7), the unencumbered balance must be carried forward to the next fiscal year and must not revert to the general fund.
(7) Each court funding unit is entitled to receive reimbursement from the fund for the juror compensation expense amount reported under subsection (5) for the preceding 6 months, excluding any juror compensation in excess of the statutory minimum under section 1344 and excluding the first $7.50 for half-day juror attendance rates, the first $15.00 for full-day juror attendance rates, and the first 10 cents per mile reimbursement.
(8) Payments from the fund must be made every 6 months. Reimbursement for each 6-month period must be made from the fund not later than 2 months after the end of the 6-month period.
(9) As used in this section:
(a) “Court funding unit” means 1 of the following, as applicable:
(i) For circuit or probate court, the county.
(ii) For district court, the district funding unit as that term is defined in section 8104.
(iii) For a municipal court, the city in which the municipal court is located.
(b) “Juror compensation” means mileage reimbursement and attendance rates paid to jurors.
Only State Funds Pay
Mich. Rev. Stat. § 600.151d. Juror compensation reimbursement fund; creation; use; deposits; investments; disposition of unencumbered balance; transfer to general fund; transfer to court equity fund.
Sec. 151d.
(1) The juror compensation reimbursement fund is created in the state treasury. The money in the fund must be used as provided in section 151e.
(2) The state treasurer shall credit to the juror compensation reimbursement fund deposits of proceeds from the collection of driver license clearance fees as provided in section 321a(11) of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.321a, and deposits of proceeds from the collection of jury demand fees as provided in sections 2529(1)(c) and 8371(9), and shall credit all income from investment credited to the fund by the state treasurer. The state treasurer may invest money in the fund in any manner authorized by law for the investment of state money. However, an investment must not interfere with any apportionment, allocation, or payment of money as required by section 151e. The state treasurer shall credit to the fund all income earned as a result of an investment of money in the fund. Except as provided in subsections (3), (4), (5), (6), and (7), the unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year must remain in the fund and must not revert to the general fund.
(3) For the state fiscal year ending September 30, 2005 only, $4,000,000.00 of the unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of that fiscal year must be transferred by the state treasurer to the general fund.
(4) For the state fiscal year ending September 30, 2008 only, $2,250,000.00 of the unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of that fiscal year must be transferred by the state treasurer to the general fund.
(5) For the state fiscal year ending September 30, 2010 only, $1,352,100.00 of the unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of that fiscal year must be transferred by the state treasurer to the court equity fund created in section 151b.
(6) For the state fiscal year ending September 30, 2011 only, $2,607,500.00 of the unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of that fiscal year must be transferred by the state treasurer to the court equity fund created in section 151b.
(7) For the state fiscal year ending September 30, 2020 only, $2,500,000.00 of the unencumbered balance remaining in the fund at the end of that fiscal year must be transferred by the state treasurer to the general fund.
§ 600.151e. Juror compensation reimbursement fund; distribution; jury management software; technical assistance; report; conditions for reimbursement; payments; definitions.
Sec. 151e.
(1) The money in the juror compensation reimbursement fund must be distributed as provided in this section.
(2) The state court administrator is authorized to allocate funds from the juror compensation reimbursement fund to enter into a contract with a jury management software vendor to provide software and ongoing support and maintenance to all state trial courts.
(3) The state court administrator is authorized to provide funding from the juror compensation reimbursement fund for a position within the state court administrative office that provides technical assistance to all state trial courts on jury management in order to improve efficiency, reduce the number of citizens summoned unnecessarily for jury service, and reduce costs to state taxpayers for juror pay, mileage, and meals.
(4) The sum of money spent in subsections (2) and (3) must not diminish the amount reimbursed to court funding units as prescribed in subsection (7).
(5) Each court funding unit shall submit a report semiannually to the state court administrator for each court for which it is a funding unit providing the total amount of the expense incurred during the period for juror compensation.
(6) Each year, the state court administrator, at the direction of the supreme court and upon confirmation by the state treasurer of the total amount available in the fund, shall distribute from the fund the amount prescribed in subsection (7). However, reimbursements under this subsection are subject to both of the following:
(a) The state court administrator must be reimbursed semiannually from the fund for reasonable costs associated with the administration of this section, including expenditures under subsections (2), (3), and (4).
(b) If the amount available in the fund in any fiscal year is more than the amount needed to pay the entire reimbursement required under subsections (2), (3), and (7), the unencumbered balance must be carried forward to the next fiscal year and must not revert to the general fund.
(7) Each court funding unit is entitled to receive reimbursement from the fund for the juror compensation expense amount reported under subsection (5) for the preceding 6 months, excluding any juror compensation in excess of the statutory minimum under section 1344 and excluding the first $7.50 for half-day juror attendance rates, the first $15.00 for full-day juror attendance rates, and the first 10 cents per mile reimbursement.
(8) Payments from the fund must be made every 6 months. Reimbursement for each 6-month period must be made from the fund not later than 2 months after the end of the 6-month period.
(9) As used in this section:
(a) “Court funding unit” means 1 of the following, as applicable:
(i) For circuit or probate court, the county.
(ii) For district court, the district funding unit as that term is defined in section 8104.
(iii) For a municipal court, the city in which the municipal court is located.
(b) “Juror compensation” means mileage reimbursement and attendance rates paid to jurors.
History
State Reimburses Counties Juror Compensation Fees
**Wayne County Only**"(4) The following shall receive funds from the hold harmless fund in a state fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 1996 as provided in this subsection and subsection (5)...(D) $1,438,900.00 received by the county of Wayne for reimbursement of compensation paid to jurors under Act No. 149 of the Public Acts of 1995." (MCLS § 600.151b)
"Sec. 314. There is appropriated from the general fund $ 4,000,000.00 for costs incurred in fiscal year 1994-95 for the compensation paid to jurors for actual attendance and traveling expenses at the minimum rates required by section 1344 of the revised judicature act of 1961, Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, being section 600.1344 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. No later than March 1, 1996, each court funding unit shall submit to the state court administrator, for each court for which it is a funding unit, the total of the payments made to jurors for jury service and travel paid during fiscal year 1994-95 pursuant to section 1344 of Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, minus the amount of jury fees collected during fiscal year 1994-95 and any amounts made in excess of the statutory minimum. If the amounts submitted by all funding units exceed the amount appropriated, the amount to which each funding unit is entitled shall be reduced proportionately. No later than July 1, 1996, the state court administrator shall determine the amount to which each funding unit is entitled. No later than August 1, 1996, the state court administrator shall distribute to each funding unit the amount to which it is entitled." (1995 Mi. SB 301)
County Local Funds Solely Pay
Amount Involves Supplement
Per Diem Amount
"§ 600.1344. Jurors; mileage and compensation; payment of jury fee where action removed from circuit court to lower court; fraudulent issuance of certificate of attendance as misdemeanor; penalty.
Sec. 1344.
(1) A juror must be reimbursed for his or her traveling expenses at a rate, determined by the county board of commissioners, that is not less than 10 cents per mile or, beginning April 1, 2018, not less than 20 cents per mile for traveling from the juror’s residence to the place of holding court and returning for each day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at sessions of the court.
(2) A juror also must be compensated at a rate, determined by the county board of commissioners, as follows:
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a rate determined as follows:
(i) For the first day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at the court, not less than $25.00 per day and $12.50 per 1/2 day.
(ii) For each subsequent day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at the court, not less than $40.00 per day and $20.00 per 1/2 day.
(b) Beginning April 1, 2018, and every subsequent fiscal year, if, as of the end of the 2 most recent fiscal years, the state court administrator, at the direction of the supreme court and upon confirmation by the state treasurer, determines that sufficient funds are available in the juror compensation reimbursement fund created in section 151d, a rate determined as follows:
(i) For the first day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at the court, not less than $30.00 per day and $15.00 per 1/2 day.
(ii) For each subsequent day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at the court, not less than $45.00 per day and $22.50 per 1/2 day.
(3) If an action is removed from the circuit court to a lower court, the jury fee must be paid to the circuit court whether paid before or after removal of the action to the lower court, and the circuit court is responsible for payment of the compensation to the juror involved.
(4) A clerk or deputy clerk of the court who fraudulently issues a certificate of attendance of a juror on which the juror receives pay, except as allowed by law, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 6 months or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.
(5) As used in this section, “sufficient funds” means an amount exceeding $2,000,000.00 in the juror compensation reimbursement fund created in section 151d."
Per Diem Rate Increases After Certain Number of Days
Extended Lengthy Trial Fund Specific Fund
Are Jobs Protected
MCLS § 600.1348. Jurors; threats, discharge, or discipline by employer; requiring additional hours of work; misdemeanor; penalty.
Sec. 1348.
(1) An employer or the employer’s agent, who threatens to discharge or discipline or who discharges, disciplines, or causes to be discharged from employment or to be disciplined a person because that person is summoned for jury duty, serves on a jury, or has served on a jury, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and may also be punished for contempt of court.
(2) An employer or the employer’s agent who requires a person having jury duty to work any number of hours during a day which, if added to the number of hours which the person spends on jury duty during that day, exceeds the number of hours normally and customarily worked by the person during a day, or the number of hours normally and customarily worked by the person during a day which extends beyond the normal and customary quitting time of that person unless voluntarily agreed to by that person, or as provided in a collective bargaining agreement is guilty of a misdemeanor, and may also be punished for contempt of court.
Jurors Entitled to Both Juror Compensation
Juror Either Paid by Employer or by State
Transportation Transit Reimbursement
"7) Each court funding unit is entitled to receive reimbursement from the fund for the juror compensation expense amount reported under subsection (5) for the preceding 6 months, excluding any juror compensation in excess of the statutory minimum under section 1344 and excluding the first $7.50 for half-day juror attendance rates, the first $15.00 for full-day juror attendance rates, and the first 10 cents per mile reimbursement." (Mich. Stat. § 600.151e)
§ 600.1344. Jurors; mileage and compensation; payment of jury fee where action removed from circuit court to lower court; fraudulent issuance of certificate of attendance as misdemeanor; penalty.
Sec. 1344.
(1) A juror must be reimbursed for his or her traveling expenses at a rate, determined by the county board of commissioners, that is not less than 10 cents per mile or, beginning April 1, 2018, not less than 20 cents per mile for traveling from the juror’s residence to the place of holding court and returning for each day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at sessions of the court.
(2) A juror also must be compensated at a rate, determined by the county board of commissioners, as follows:
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a rate determined as follows:
(i) For the first day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at the court, not less than $25.00 per day and $12.50 per 1/2 day.
(ii) For each subsequent day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at the court, not less than $40.00 per day and $20.00 per 1/2 day.
(b) Beginning April 1, 2018, and every subsequent fiscal year, if, as of the end of the 2 most recent fiscal years, the state court administrator, at the direction of the supreme court and upon confirmation by the state treasurer, determines that sufficient funds are available in the juror compensation reimbursement fund created in section 151d, a rate determined as follows:
(i) For the first day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at the court, not less than $30.00 per day and $15.00 per 1/2 day.
(ii) For each subsequent day or 1/2 day of actual attendance at the court, not less than $45.00 per day and $22.50 per 1/2 day.
(3) If an action is removed from the circuit court to a lower court, the jury fee must be paid to the circuit court whether paid before or after removal of the action to the lower court, and the circuit court is responsible for payment of the compensation to the juror involved.
(4) A clerk or deputy clerk of the court who fraudulently issues a certificate of attendance of a juror on which the juror receives pay, except as allowed by law, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 6 months or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.
(5) As used in this section, “sufficient funds” means an amount exceeding $2,000,000.00 in the juror compensation reimbursement fund created in section 151d.
Parking Provided Full
Childcare Provided Full
Juror can Return Juror Fees
Payer
Explicit Rule
Yes
Only state funds to pay for jury compensation
Yes
State reimburses county
Yes
Only county/local funds to pay for jury compensation
No
County/local funds can supplement state compensation
No
Extent of Payment
Explicit employer protections
Yes
Juror entitled to both juror compensation and regular employment wages
No
Juror can only receive one: Juror compensation or regular employment wages
No
Per diem amount
Yes
Per diem rate increases after certain number of days
No
Extended/Lengthy Trial Fund: Specific Funding Source for this additional, extended funding
No
Other Provisions
Transportation/Transit reimbursement
Yes
Parking provided
No
Child care provided/reimbursed
No
Juror can return juror fees, or waive per diem
No
Disclaimer
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