Jurors in the Morongo Basin are about to get a raise. San Bernardino County’s court system has been selected to participate in a state program that will significantly increase the amount that jurors are paid, increasing from $15 per day to $100 a day.
The pilot program begins today, and is the result of State Assembly Bill 1981, which hopes to increase the participation and overall diversity of juror pools. Beginning on their second day of service, each juror’s daily pay rate will increase to $100 per day. Jurors will also receive a bump in mileage reimbursement, and it moves from $0.34 per mile to $0.67 per mile.
San Bernardino County, which includes the Joshua Tree Courthouse, was selected to participate in the program along with Alameda, El Dorado, Fresno, Imperial, Monterey, and Shasta counties.
The pilot program will end by early 2026 or when funding is exhausted, whichever comes first. At the conclusion of the pilot, the Judicial Council will provide a report to the California State Legislature describing the findings of the pilot program and information for promoting juror diversity.
