Georgia jurors receive a daily expense allowance set by each county, no less than $5 and no more than $501. You are paid for any day you appear, even if you are not sworn in2. Whether your employer keeps paying you depends on who you work for; see the employer page.
Daily allowance
Gwinnett County does not publish its daily amount on its jury pages; check your summons or ask Jury Services.
Who sets the rate
The first grand jury of the fall term of superior court fixes the next year's rate4. Any increase must be approved by the county's governing authority4. Jurors in state and special courts get the same amount as the county's superior court jurors1.
When payment arrives
A check is mailed with a certificate of attendance5.
Mailed by the county finance department after your service, unless you use Zelle6.
Gwinnett offers Zelle; if you don't enroll within 14 days, it mails a check to your summons address6.
Questions
Am I paid if I'm not picked for a jury?
Yes. People who appear in answer to a summons get the allowance for that day even if not sworn2.
Can I donate my pay?
In Fulton County you can donate it to the county's public libraries or animal shelter5.
Does my employer have to pay me?
It depends on your employer. Public-school teachers keep full pay by statute7. For private employers, the Georgia Department of Labor says your total pay cannot be penalized, though jury fees may be offset8; georgia.gov says the time off may be unpaid9. Georgia jury duty and your employer.
What to do next
- Check your summons or county jury page for the current daily amount.
- In Gwinnett, enroll in Zelle within 14 days for faster payment6.
Related
Sources
9 sources, with the exact sentence each rule comes from. Georgia statute text is quoted from Justia's copy of the 2025 Official Code of Georgia
- Justia - 2025 Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.) - O.C.G.A. § 15-12-7. O.C.G.A. § 15-12-7(a)(2)-(3)."(2) An expense allowance for trial or grand jurors in the superior courts of such counties for the next succeeding year not to be less than $5.00 nor to exceed $50.00 per diem. The same expense allowance shall be allowed to jurors of the several state courts and special courts as is allowed jurors in the superior court of the county in which the state or special court is located; and"
- Justia - 2025 Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.) - O.C.G.A. § 15-12-9. O.C.G.A. § 15-12-9."The persons who appear in answer to the summons for trial or grand jury service shall receive the expense allowance for the day of their appearance even if they are not sworn as jurors."
- Jury duty FAQ's | Superior Court of Fulton County (fultonsuperiorcourtga.gov). Superior Court of Fulton County, Jury duty FAQ."Fulton County pays you a $25.00 per day expense allowance to cover expenses such as parking and lunch."
- Justia - 2025 Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.) - O.C.G.A. § 15-12-7. O.C.G.A. §§ 15-12-7(a)-(b), 15-12-8."(b) Any increase in the compensation of court bailiffs or increases in expense allowances for jurors fixed by a grand jury shall be subject to the approval of the governing authority of the county."
- Jury duty FAQ's | Superior Court of Fulton County (fultonsuperiorcourtga.gov). Superior Court of Fulton County, Jury duty FAQ."After the completion of your service, a check along with a certificate of attendance will be mailed to you within 21-30 business days. | In some cases, if you serve on a jury, you may receive two (2) separate checks: one for your first day of service and another check for the remainder of your service."
- Welcome to the Gwinnett Courts eJuror Website (ejury.gwinnettcounty.com). Gwinnett eJuror website."Paper checks are mailed by the Gwinnett County Finance Department within two to three weeks following your jury service. We now offer the option of electronic Zelle payments. | If you do not enroll within 14 days, Gwinnett County will initiate a paper check disbursement, which will be mailed to the address listed on your juror summons."
- Justia - Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.) § 20-2-870. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-870."Each person employed as a teacher in any public school of this state shall be allowed a leave of absence without loss of pay and without deduction of any amounts otherwise received as compensation for service as a teacher, for the purpose of attending any court as a juror"
- Georgia Department of Labor - Employer Handbook. Ga. Dep't of Labor, Employer Handbook (DOL-224, rev. 11/2024), Judicial Proceedings; 1989 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 89-55."Per the Georgia Attorney General, in an opinion issued in 1989 (No. 89-55), an employee's total compensation cannot be penalized for time away from work to serve on jury duty. However, it is not required that the employee receive extra financial reward for serving on jury duty. Therefore, although employers cannot penalize employees, employers are authorized to offset employees' salaries by the amount of funds the employees receive for jury service so that the combined amounts equal their gross salary or wages."
- Serve Jury Duty, Georgia.gov (State of Georgia; page credits Administrative Office of the Courts; 'Last updated June 2026'). georgia.gov, Serve Jury Duty."Employers in Georgia are required to grant employees time off, though it may be unpaid, to serve jury duty."
Reviewed by Roger K. Neustadt, JD, attorney admitted in Georgia. Verified November 10, 2026.
Roger K. Neustadt is admitted in Georgia; pages about other states and federal courts are general information checked against official sources. How we check every rule: editorial policy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
This page explains the law in general terms and is not legal advice. Jury Duty Explained is not affiliated with any court. Your summons and your court's instructions control, so check them first.