Justice lauds juror pay raise bill

Justice lauds juror pay raise bill

Tucson, Arizona Tuesday, 30 January 2001
http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/10130rjustice.html

By Howard Fischer
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES

PHOENIX - The chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court asked state lawmakers yesterday to boost sharply the pay of jurors.

Thomas Zlaket pointed out that the $12-a-day compensation has not been changed since 1970.

"Simply adjusting for inflation since then would raise jury pay to $53 per day," Zlaket told legislators in his State of the Judiciary address.

"The current rate does not even cover parking or lunch, much less day care and lost wages."

The chief justice may get only part of his wish: Legislation to boost pay to $50 has stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Elaine Richardson, D-Tucson, who chairs the panel, said it may be necessary to trim the new figure to $30 to get the necessary votes for SB 1009.

Zlaket also put in a pitch for more pay for all court employees, with special mention of a $5.8 million shortfall in salaries for probation officers.

But the question of juror pay was the only specific piece of pending legislation he endorsed.

The chief justice said he cannot say whether the low pay harms the quality of juries being chosen throughout the state.

"But we do know there are a number of no-shows, people who simply don't respond to jury summonses," he said.

He said a study may be necessary to determine if boosting the pay will increase the number of people who respond to the call.

"Jurors are crucial to maintaining the liberties that we enjoy," Zlaket said. "We ought not to treat them as badly as we are."

The chief justice pointed out that the Supreme Court has approved other changes over the years designed to make jury service more meaningful.

Arizona allows jurors actually to ask questions of witnesses during trials, after first running them by the judge.