Harris County residents picked to serve as jurors in Downtown Houston will notice two pay changes that started in September, including the increase in juror pay and a change in how jurors are paid by the county.
Jury pay was increased from $6 to $20 on the first day and from $40 to $58 on subsequent days.
District Clerk Marilyn Burgess announced in a news release what she called “ongoing efforts to modernize jury service” as part of a collaboration with Treasurer Carla Wyatt:
- A new payment method to pay jurors is through prepaid debit cards, also referred to as CourtFunds Pay Cards.
- The cards are scanned upon check-in and automatically activated approximately two business days after the conclusion of jury service.
- Jurors can use their prepaid card anywhere that Mastercard is accepted, according to the news release.
“This new method makes payments to jurors easier and faster,” Burgess said. “Some jurors may not have a bank account and being paid with a check at the end of their service may not be the most convenient options for them.”
More information on the CourtFunds Pay Card can be found on the jury webpage at https://www.hcdistrictclerk.com/jury/juror.html.
How we got here
The 88th Texas Legislature approved House Bill 3474 this year, the first pay increase in the state since 2005, and Gov. Greg Abbott signed it June 13.
