Countywide : Jurors Can Ease Budget Crunch

Jurors may voluntarily waive their $5-a-day jury service fee and mileage under a new program implemented by the Ventura County courts system.

Residents called to perform jury service are informed during orientation that they can elect to give up their jury service fee and any mileage due them, said Vince Ordonez Jr. Officials in the county’s Superior and Municipal courts devised the program as a way to save money, he said.

Initiated Feb. 8, 284 jurors agreed to waive their fees and mileage as of Feb. 26, saving the courts $3,319, Ordonez said.In the past, several jurors had voluntarily returned their jury service fee checks with notes indicating that their contributions could be used to help ease the county’s budget crunch. The daily fee paid to jurors is $5, plus 14 cents per mile to the courthouse.