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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The length of the Karen Read murder trial has people questioning how juror payment works in Mass.
While serving as a juror, all Mass. residents who work in the state are required to be paid by their employer for the first three days of their service. After the first three days, the state must pay a taxable rate of $50 per day to each of the jurors.
Jury Commissioner Pamela Wood said most trials in the Commonwealth are completed before the state would start having to compensating jurors.
“96 percent of people who actually have to show up to a courthouse for jury service will be done in three days or less,” said Wood. “Any employee, temporary, part-time, full-time in Mass. is compensated for their first three days of juror service by their employer.”
Read More: Tuesday Only Day Of Testimony This Week In Karen Read Trial
Retired or unemployed jurors can submit a reimbursement request form for up to $50 in the first three days of service to cover travel and childcare expense.
“If you were a person who was not going to be able make your rent on the $50 a day, you could explain that to the judge and the judge would almost certainly excuse you from service for that reason,” said Wood.
If jurors are being compensated after less than one week of service, they will receive a check within 14 of the completion of their service. Jurors that served for more than a week will receive a check within 10 days of the end of each week.
WBZ NewsRadio's Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.
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