Jury Duty Pay in Maryland

About Jury Duty in Maryland

Maryland pays $15 per day for the first 5 days of jury service, rising to $50 per day from day 6 onward — one of the steepest percentage increases in the country. The state’s high cost of living makes the $15 starting rate challenging for short trials, but the $50 rate provides meaningful relief for extended service.

How Jury Pay Works

Under Md. Code Cts. & Jud. Proc. §§ 8-426 and 8-427, jurors receive $15/day for days 1 through 5, then $50/day starting day 6. Some counties supplement these amounts — Calvert County, for example, pays $35/day flat. Maryland has strong employer protections: employers cannot fire, coerce, or intimidate employees for jury service, and cannot require jurors to use vacation or sick leave for jury duty. They also cannot require jurors to work shifts starting before 5:00 PM after 4+ hours of jury duty.

Not All Counties Use “One Day or One Trial”

While some Maryland counties (including Baltimore City and Harford County) use the “one day or one trial” system, others use term-based service — Charles County uses 1 week/1 trial, and Kent County uses a 1-month term. Check your summons for your county’s specific system.

High Cost of Living, Improving Pay

Maryland has the highest median household income of any state, yet its $15 starting rate is among the lowest. The jump to $50/day on day 6 partially offsets this, but most trials are shorter than 6 days, meaning most empaneled jurors never reach the higher tier. The proximity to Washington DC ($50/day flat plus travel stipend) makes the short-trial disparity particularly visible.

Employer Protections

Maryland has some of the strongest anti-retaliation protections in the country. Employers cannot fire, threaten, or coerce employees for jury service (Md. Code Cts. & Jud. Proc. §§ 8-501, 8-502). They also cannot require employees to work an evening shift starting before 5:00 PM on days the employee served at least 4 hours of jury duty — a practical protection that few other states offer.

How Maryland Compares

Maryland’s $15/$50 structure is unusual. The $15 starting rate matches California’s post-day-1 rate, but the jump to $50 on day 6 is one of the largest percentage increases in the country. Neighboring DC pays $50/day flat with a $7 travel stipend. Virginia also pays $50/day flat. Federal jurors in Baltimore and Greenbelt receive $50/day from day one with round-trip mileage.

Statute: Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. §§ 8-426, 8-427 — Official source