Overview

• The eight-month program, launched in September, was designed as a two-year experiment to raise juror pay from $15 to $100 per day in seven counties.
• Early termination of the pilot is projected to save about $27.5 million in the coming fiscal year.
• Several participating counties have already ended the higher per diem and Alameda County is assessing its next steps without state funding.
• Critics argue the decision undercuts recent criminal justice reforms like Proposition 36 and risks reducing minority and low-income representation on juries.
• The California Judicial Council remains required to submit its six-month report on how the increased pay affected jury diversity.