An Act To Increase Mileage Reimbursement and Compensation for Jurors
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1424
Committee: Judiciary
Sponsors: BROOKS, ALFOND, BERRY, EVANGELOS, EVES, FREDETTE, GOODALL, JACKSON, THIBODEAU
Amends: 14 MRSA §1215, 16 MRSA §251

Legislative Document 
No. 1424 
H.P. 1012 
House of Representatives, April 17, 2013 
An Act To Increase Mileage Reimbursement and Compensation for 
Jurors 
(AFTER DEADLINE) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205. 
Reference to the Committee on Judiciary suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative BROOKS of Winterport. 
Cosponsored by President ALFOND of Cumberland and 
Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, EVANGELOS of Friendship, Speaker EVES of 
North Berwick, FREDETTE of Newport, McCABE of Skowhegan, Senators: GOODALL of 
Sagadahoc, JACKSON of Aroostook, THIBODEAU of Waldo. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  14 MRSA §1215, as amended by PL 1991, c. 528, Pt. E, §13 and affected 
by Pt. RRR and amended by c. 591, Pt. E, §13, is further amended to read: 
§1215.  Mileage and compensation of jurors 
A juror is entitled to paid mileage at the rate of 15¢ per mile specified in Title 5, 
section 8 for travel expenses from the juror's residence to the place of holding court and 
return and to compensation at the rate of $10 $20 for each day of required attendance at 
sessions of the court. 
Sec. 2.  16 MRSA §251, as amended by PL 2007, c. 539, Pt. JJ, §7 and affected by 
§10, is further amended to read: 
§251.  Fees of witnesses 
Witnesses, other than law enforcement officers testifying in their official capacity, in 
the Supreme Judicial Court, the Superior Court, the District Court or in the Probate Court, 
unless the court otherwise orders, must receive $10 $20, and before referees, auditors or 
commissioners specially appointed to take testimony or special commissioners on 
disputed claims appointed by Probate Courts, $10 $20, or before the county 
commissioners, $10 $20 for each day's attendance and 22¢ a mile the rate specified in 
Title 5, section 8 for each mile's travel going and returning home.  The party calling the 
witness shall pay the witness.  Payments made under this section to witnesses called on 
behalf of the State must be made from the county treasury upon authorization of the 
prosecuting attorney, unless otherwise directed by law.  The court in its discretion may 
allow at the trial of any cause, civil or criminal, in the Supreme Judicial Court, the 
Superior Court or the District Court, a reasonable sum for each day's attendance of any 
expert witness or witnesses at the trial, in taxing the costs of the prevailing party, and the 
expense of all expert witnesses for the State in murder cases must be paid by the State 
and charged against the appropriation for the Department of the Attorney General. Such 
party or the attorney of record shall first file an affidavit within 30 days after entry of 
judgment and before the cause is settled, stating the name, residence, number of days in 
attendance and the actual amount paid or to be paid each expert witness in attendance at 
such trial. No more than $10 $20 per day may be allowed or taxed by the clerk of courts 
in the costs of any civil action for the per diem attendance of a witness, unless the 
affidavit is filed, and the per diem is determined and allowed by the presiding justice. 
SUMMARY 
This bill changes the mileage rate paid to jurors and witnesses from 15¢ per mile and 
22¢ per mile, respectively, to the rate paid by the State for travel by employees of the 
State for the business of the State, which is currently 44¢ per mile.  This bill also 
increases the daily rate paid to jurors and witnesses from $10 to $20.