I had to do a morning of jury service this week, and was fortunate to not get selected for what sounded like an unpleasant and psychologically damaging case. I still have to check whether I have to go back tomorrow (hopefully not), but in the meantime I've begun thinking about the related administrivia.
Jurors and potential jurors are paid. Its not a wage - jurors are not employees - but it is meant to be some compensation for the trouble. The rates are specified in the Jury Rules 1990, and were last updated in 2004 - twenty years ago. Back then the hourly rate for a half day was $10.33 / hour - a bit over the minimum wage of $9/hour. Twenty years later its still the same, while the minimum wage is $22.70 / hour. Even merely adjusting for inflation would raise it to $17/hour.
Jurors are getting ripped off, nickelled and dimed by a government which uses any excuse to "save" money. Until compensation is restored, they should refuse to serve.
