Miscellaneous

Fewer Jurors, Less Pay

By Anne Skove, Esq.

When jurors (famously underpaid) take a pay cut, you know times are bad.

New Mexico Chief Justice Edward Chavez proposed altering juror pay from $7.50/hour to $40/day. He also asked state legislature to repeal a statute guaranteeing parties the right to a jury trial in certain magistrate court cases.

As if hedging the right to a jury trial wasn't enough, he also proposes raising the docketing fee for civil cases to $10. We know raising fees is tempting and must be done at times, but **puhleeeeeze** remember that fees are inversely proportional to access. We wish we knew how to write this in flashing lights, it's that important and too-often overlooked even by (especially by) the most well-meaning people. We don't care what good cause gets the money -- a brand-new case management system is the beneficiary here -- access to justice is the best cause of all.

See Chief Justice Asks Lawmakers to Approve Docketing Fee, Juror Pay Changes, AP/KVIA (January 29, 2009).

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on January 30, 2009 (boomark / email).