Jury duty pay in Virginia is $50 for each day of attendance in state court, set by Virginia Code 17.1-618. That flat rate is meant to cover travel and other expenses, so no separate mileage check is added on top. Federal court in Virginia pays the same $50 daily rate but reimburses mileage separately.
What the $50 Covers in State Court
Every person summoned as a juror in a Virginia civil or criminal case receives $50 for each day of attendance.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 17.1 – Chapter 6, Costs Generally You earn the $50 for each day the court requires your attendance, even if you report and are never seated on a panel.
The catch is that the payment is all-inclusive. The statute describes it as covering “expenses of travel incident to jury service and other necessary and reasonable costs as the court may direct.”2Supreme Court of Virginia. Chart of Allowances No separate mileage or parking reimbursement is added. If you drive a long distance to the courthouse, that cost comes out of the daily allowance. Jurors summoned from a different city or county under a special venue order may receive additional actual expenses at the court’s discretion, but that is rare.
Circuit court jurors in Virginia serve for one term of court. Depending on the location, that term can run up to four months, though you will not necessarily sit every day within it.3Supreme Court of Virginia. Answer Book for Jury Service Your summons will list the specific dates.
Federal Jury Duty Pay in Virginia
Virginia has two federal district courts, the Eastern District and the Western District. If your summons comes from a federal court rather than a state circuit or general district court, federal rules apply.
Federal jurors also receive $50 per day for attendance. The difference is that federal jurors receive a separate travel allowance based on the round-trip mileage between home and the courthouse, at a rate the Administrative Office of the United States Courts sets each year.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees Parking reimbursement varies by courthouse.5United States District Court Eastern District of Virginia. Jury Service FAQs Grand jurors who serve more than 45 days can receive up to $10 extra per day at the judge’s discretion.
How and When You Get Paid
Virginia Code 17.1-619 lets courts pay jurors by check, warrant, cash, prepaid debit card, or electronic transfer.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 17.1 – Chapter 6, Costs Generally The method depends on your local clerk’s office. Many courts default to mailing a check a few weeks after your service ends. Confirm the court has your correct mailing address before you leave the building on your last day.
Whether Your Employer Has to Pay Your Wages
Virginia law does not require your employer to pay your regular wages while you serve. Some employers keep you on full salary during jury duty as a company benefit, and some require you to turn the $50 court payment over to them in exchange. Whether you receive a normal paycheck is between you and your employer.
What your employer cannot do is punish you for going. Firing, demoting, or taking any negative action against you because you missed work for jury duty is illegal, as long as you gave reasonable notice of the summons.6Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-465.1 – Penalizing Employee for Court Appearance or Service on Jury Panel Your employer also cannot force you to use sick days or vacation time to cover the absence.
One protection people miss: if you spend four or more hours on jury duty in a single day, including travel time, your employer cannot require you to start a work shift that begins at or after 5:00 p.m. that same day or before 3:00 a.m. the following day.6Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-465.1 – Penalizing Employee for Court Appearance or Service on Jury Panel This matters most for evening and overnight shift workers. Report at 8:00 a.m., released at noon, and your employer cannot make you come in for a 5:00 p.m. shift that night.
Violating any of these rules is a Class 3 misdemeanor, carrying a fine of up to $500 and no jail time.7Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-11 – Punishment for Conviction of Misdemeanor
Federal jury service brings a stronger backstop. Under 28 U.S.C. 1875, no employer may fire, threaten, intimidate, or coerce a permanent employee because of federal jury service. Penalties include liability for lost wages, a court order to reinstate you with no loss of seniority or benefits, and a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S. Code 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment
Reporting Jury Pay on Your Taxes
Jury duty pay is taxable income. Report it on Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8h.9Internal Revenue Service. Publication 525 (2025), Taxable and Nontaxable Income For a short trial, the total is small, but it still belongs on your return.
If your employer paid your regular salary during service and required you to hand over the $50 court payments, you can deduct what you surrendered. Report the full jury pay as income on line 8h, then enter the amount you turned over to your employer on Schedule 1, line 24a as an adjustment.9Internal Revenue Service. Publication 525 (2025), Taxable and Nontaxable Income You end up taxed only on money you actually kept.
Asking the Court to Defer Your Service
If the timing is impossible, Virginia law lets you ask the court to defer your service or limit it to certain dates within the term. The standard is “particular occupational inconvenience.” Two situations the statute specifically names are full-time students attending classes during the term, and people with legal custody of a child 16 or younger who requires continuous personal care during court hours.10Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 8.01-341.2 – Deferral or Limitation of Jury Service
A deferral is not a permanent excuse. If granted, your obligation shifts to the next term after the inconvenience ends. Many courts accept the request by phone, mail, or through the clerk’s office. Contact the clerk listed on your summons as early as possible rather than waiting until your reporting date.
What Happens If You Skip
Ignoring a Virginia jury summons is not treated casually. Under Virginia Code 8.01-356, a juror who received proper notice and fails to appear without a sufficient excuse faces a fine between $50 and $200.11Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 8.01-356 – Failure of Juror to Appear In more serious cases, a court can pursue contempt charges, which carry a fine of up to $250 and up to ten days in jail when decided by a judge without a jury.12Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 18.2 – Chapter 10, Article 5, Contempt of Court
Federal courts go harder. Failing to respond to a federal jury summons, or failing to show good cause for missing it, can result in a fine of up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or a combination. The same penalties apply to lying on a juror qualification form to avoid serving. Most courts start with a follow-up letter or an order to show cause before punishing anyone, but calling the clerk to explain a conflict is always the better move.