Civic Duty In Peterson Trial May Come At Financial Cost

DURHAM, N.C. — The civic duty for jurors in the Mike Peterson trial will come at a cost.

Many people who say they cannot serve on the jury say they have financial concerns.

"For the first five days, they get $12 a day and after that, it is $30 a day," jury clerk Susan Cowan.

However after using money for food and parking, the money potential jurors use can soon be non-existent.

"Employers cannot stop a juror from serving on jury duty. They cannot demote them, penalize them or fire them," Cowan said. "[But] they are not obligated by law to pay them."

Juror compensation varies by state. In Colorado, jurors do not get anything unless they are serving more than three days. Then, they receive $50 a day. In Virginia, jurors receive $30 a day and in South Carolina, jurors are compensated between $2 and $12.