The Missouri Supreme Court’s chief justice says judges across the Show-Me State are embarrassed to tell jurors what jury pay is.
Chief Justice Mary Russell spoke during the recent 2024 State of the Judiciary address in Jefferson City. She’s urging lawmakers to improve juror pay, noting Missouri’s statutory minimum hasn’t been increased since 1989 and is just $6 per day and seven cents a mile for traveling from their homes to the courthouse and back. Missouri House Judiciary Committee vice chair Rudy Veit (R-Wardsville) backs Chief Justice Russell’s proposal.
“When you ask some of these jurors to give up two, three or four weeks for a trial, it’s hard to keep their mind on what’s being heard in the courtroom when they got major things going on in their life,” Representative Veit tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri.”
Representative Veit has filed bipartisan legislation to boost jury pay, but his three-page House bill 1457 hasn’t received a hearing yet. You can listen to the full “Wake Up” interview with Representative Veit here.
