Probability of Actually Serving on a Jury

Approximately 32 million jury summonses are mailed in the United States each year, but only a small fraction of those summoned actually serve on a jury. The progression typically works as follows: about 50% of summonses result in the person reporting for jury duty, about 30% of those are placed in a jury pool, and about 15-20% of pool members are selected and seated for a trial. Overall, about 5% of summoned jurors serve on a trial.

The Sixth and Seventh Amendments guarantee the right to a jury trial, but the reality is that very few cases go to trial. About 95-97% of criminal cases are resolved through plea bargains, and about 97-99% of civil cases are settled before trial. As a result, the demand for jurors is much lower than one might expect.

Jury service compensation varies by jurisdiction but is generally very low: federal courts pay $50 per day, while most state courts pay $15-50 per day. Many employers pay employees during jury service, but about 30% of workers receive no compensation during service. Exemptions and deferrals vary by state but commonly include age, prior service, and hardship. Research suggests that jury diversity remains a challenge, as the demographics of those who actually serve skew toward older, white, and more educated populations.