Jury Duty Pay in Louisiana

About Jury Duty in Louisiana

Louisiana pays jurors $25 per day with a unique twist: employers must pay wages for the first day of jury service — and only the first day. The state follows a civil law system based on French and Spanish legal traditions, making it distinct from the common law systems of the other 49 states, though jury trials function similarly in practice.

How Jury Pay Works

Louisiana uses a flat $25/day rate. Under La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 23:965, employers must pay regular wages for the first day of jury service. After day one, only the state’s $25/day applies. Mileage reimbursement typically follows the federal GSA rate. Louisiana is a “one day or one trial” state.

The One-Day Employer Obligation

Louisiana’s employer mandate is unusually narrow — just one day. This is less generous than Connecticut’s 5-day mandate or New York’s 3-day mandate, but it still provides some protection. For the majority of jurors who are released after a single day, the employer-paid first day means no financial loss at all. For empaneled jurors, however, the protection evaporates after day one, leaving them with only the state’s $25/day for the remainder of the trial.

This structure creates an interesting incentive: it protects the typical juror (one day, not selected) perfectly, while providing minimal support to the small minority who are actually empaneled on longer trials. Other states with employer mandates — like Alabama — extend coverage for the full duration of service.

Civil Law, Common Law Juries

Louisiana’s civil law heritage is unique in the United States. The state’s legal system is based on the Napoleonic Code rather than English common law. In practice, however, criminal and civil jury trials operate much as they do elsewhere — jurors hear evidence, deliberate, and render verdicts. The procedural differences are largely invisible to jurors.

Parish-Based Administration

Louisiana uses parishes instead of counties (another French inheritance), and each of the 64 parishes manages jury operations independently. Orleans Parish (New Orleans) and East Baton Rouge Parish are the largest systems. Hurricane Katrina led to significant reforms in Orleans Parish’s jury operations, including a modernized summons system and better juror amenities.

How Louisiana Compares

Louisiana’s $25/day rate matches Illinois and Pennsylvania. The one-day employer mandate is better than nothing but weaker than most other states with employer obligations. Federal jurors in Louisiana’s three districts receive $50/day — double the state rate.

Statute: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13:3049 (compensation); § 23:965 (employer obligation) — Official source