Bill Jack Franks Supported to Hike Juror Fees Found Unconstitutional

The Illinois Supreme Court has struck down a bill supported by the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (a Jack Franks contributor) that State Rep. Jack Franks voted for.

House roll call on bill to hike jury fees that Jack Franks supported.

House roll call on bill to hike jury fees that Jack Franks supported.

It called for increasing juror fees from $4 to 25 a day for the first day and $50 per day thereafter.

The bill enacted after Pat Quinn was defeated by Bruce Rauner.

Here is the December 3, 2014, objection that the McHenry County Board sent to local legislators:

OPPOSE SB 3075 Amendment

OPPOSITION ALERT

Re: JUROR FEES

McHenry County urges you to oppose SB 3075.  If passed this will impact jury fees in McHenry County by 425%, see below for a full detailed summary of the financial impact.

These are 2010 numbers.  Would anyone like to go to VoteSmart.org and update the figures?

These are 2010 numbers. Would anyone like to go to VoteSmart.org and update the figures?

Yesterday, Rep. Kelly Burke (D-Oak Lawn) called House Floor Amendment No. 1 and House Floor Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 3075 which would significantly increase pay for jurors from $4 currently to $25 first day of service and $50 each day after. Following a short debate, the measure passed the House 67-46-2 [see last House vote on the legislation above].

SB 3075 also provides that civil cases be tried by ajury of 6, deleting language providing the opportunity for a party to demand a jury of 12. If alternate jurorsare requested, an additional fee established by the county shall be charged for each alternate juror requested.

Sen. John Mulroe (D-Chicago) is sponsoring the measure in the Senate.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me directly.  Again, we appreciate your support in OPPOSING SB3075.
_______________________________________

Heather Winter, Assistant to the County Administrator, McHenry County

= = = = =
Here is the cost estimated by Court Administrator Dan Wallis:

The seal of the 22nd Circuit Court.

The seal of the 22nd Circuit Court.

In review of the House Amendment No.1 to SB3075 as currently written, the best that I can calculate in this short period of is a rough projection of increased costs

Between January 1, 2013 and December 1, 2013 there were 9,825 juror days.  This number is calculated by the number ofjurors which report on any given day.  For example, if two jurors are summoned on any given day, that would be calculated as two juror days.

By multiplying 9,825 juror days by the proposed $25.00 the amount would be $245,625.00 in juror pay; under the current payment schedule $58,950 was paid out to jurors in pay, mileage was paid out in the amount of $29,411.00.

Since this amendment eliminates mileage, I can subtract the $29,411 which was spent on mileage during this same time frame, with a final increase of $216,214.00.

An increase of 266% or $157,264.00.

Keep in mind this is calculated for single days of service.

More often than not, jurors are brought in on Monday, Tuesday and perhaps Wednesday.

Unfortunately, our juror information system does not calculate that type of information in an easily generated report form.

However, being very conservative, I would say with certainty that nearly 50% of the jurors that are summoned come to the courthouse at least two days during their week long jury service.

Using the above 9,825 and dividing that in half, the estimated cost in juror pay for subsequent days would be $245,625.00, figuring the remaining juror days at the $25.00, a total of $368,437 is the result. An overall increase of $309,488, or a 425% increase.

This certainly would be significant impact  as this increased cost would be borne by the taxpayers of McHenry County.

As for the civil jury reduction to 6 jurors from 12, there would be a small savings; however very few civil matters are disposed of by jury trial .  The vast majority of jury trials are criminal in nature.

If I can be of further assistance, please contact me.


Comments

Bill Jack Franks Supported to Hike Juror Fees Found Unconstitutional — 10 Comments

  1. Oh yeah, Jack Franks NEVER THINKS
    ABOUT the impact of all the random things
    He supports & pushes.

    Of COURSE WE KNOW
    FRANCO CAN’T DO the MATH.

    And then, there are his campaign
    Signs that say ‘Jack Franks Tax Fighter’.

    What a hypocrite !

  2. Off topic but related; Why are most in the legal system very well compensated except the jurors?

    If you run a small business or are in sales the chance of significant income loss is high even though you may only serve two or three days.

  3. Ok, yes, so it was unconstitutional.

    And, yes, implementing something like this could cost the county a little money.

    But really, not everyone is lucky enough to be salaried when they’re called for jury duty.

    And not everyone can afford to have a day without any income or in some cases child care.

    But $4 a day is not even a bad joke.

    Franks doesn’t have my vote but on this one I think he was right, at least on the pay side of things.

  4. This is as Bad as when a Hospital Charges You Unknowingly 200-300.00, just to sit down in their ER room!!!

    Disgraceful… !

  5. It’s NOT a job, it’s a duty!

    Why is everyone so set on making a profit?

    You want justice?

    Get involved.

    Go work at some corporate place if you want bucks.

    Civic duty has nothing to do with turning a profit.

    Oh, the sacrifice of it all!

    Whiners!

  6. Jacko Franks: headline grabber par excellence!

    Do nothing space-taker in the Statehouse lo these many years, now wants to sink his proboscis into our hides locally.

    No thanks Jacko!

  7. As there are more and more low wage workers you’re going to have trouble filling the juries Cindy which will clog up courts.

    You can get off jury duty due to financial hardship.

  8. Unfortunately in this County, juries are used as ‘tool’ to intimidate those involved on both sides into submitting to a ‘negotiated’ settlement instead of facing a jury.

    I recently sat with a ‘pool’ of prospective jurors and was openly told it was possible that no one would be chosen – why where we there?

    Later the lady came back and told us that they were still ‘negotiating’ one more settlement and if it was brought to a conclusion, we would not be required any longer.

    By 1:00 pm we were all excused.

    All those taxpayer dollars wasted!

    Why?

    The Trial Lawyers, like Jack Franks and the judges, run the court system!!

    Two, things need to change:

    1. Eliminate the daily ‘cattle call’ when everyone on the docket for the day must show up (including the prospective jurors) first thing in the morning. Then the high and mighty judges and lawyers ‘decide’ who goes to trial and who does not. The parking lot is filled to overflow and now, we the taxpayers, are being asked to fund for more parking. How about scheduling trials throughout the day and end this practice of ‘negotiated’ settlements with prospective jurors being used as a negotiation tool?

    2. Don’t bring in prospective jurors unless the decision has been made to go to jury trial.

  9. Uh, Cautious?

    That’s not how the government system does things.

    You made the mistake of thinking someone in the system might have some common sense.

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