Fairness at the Core: What Ontario’s Jury Pay Increase Means for Jurors and the System

October 02, 2025, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Ontario’s decision to adjust jury pay, as reported in recent coverage, is more than a simple budget line item. It speaks to a foundational principle of Canadian justice: fairness for those who serve and fairness for the system as a whole. For Deutschmann de Koning Law, that balance is not abstract. It touches real people, jurors who take time away from work, family, and day-to-day responsibilities, and an appellate and trial process that depends on a diverse, attentive jury pool to function with legitimacy and public confidence.

Fairness to jurors begins with recognising the hidden costs of jury service. When citizens are summoned, they face more than the inconvenience of a few days in court. They incur lost wages or hours from employment, travel costs, meals away from home, child or elder care expenses, and the personal strain of stepping away from daily responsibilities. If jurors are asked to participate while juggling these costs, the system unintentionally narrows the pool to those who can absorb the financial hit. That reality risks skewing verdicts and undermining the fundamental fairness that every participant in a trial deserves, from the accused to the victim, to witnesses and jurors themselves.

Increasing jury pay is a practical step toward removing that barrier.

It helps ensure that service is accessible to people from a wider range of incomes and circumstances, including students, part-time workers, caregivers, and those who cannot easily absorb lost income. It also signals that the state recognises jury service as a civic duty with real, tangible impacts on daily life. When jurors are compensated more adequately, the system moves closer to fulfilling the democratic ideal that every eligible person should be able to participate without financial coercion or penalty.

Equally important is the fairness to the system itself. A fair process depends on a jury that can deliberate without fear of financial consequences. People from different backgrounds bring varied life experiences and perspectives, which enrich deliberations and support more careful, reasoned verdicts. If pay structures are opaque or insufficient, the pool risks becoming less representative, and the deliberative quality of the process can suffer. A well-compensated jury pool reinforces public confidence that verdicts reflect careful consideration rather than expediency or economic necessity. It supports the perception that justice is impartial and accessible to all, not just to those who can afford to take on the task.

There are pragmatic benefits as well. Fair compensation can improve juror punctuality and attendance, reduce last-minute dropouts, and lessen the administrative burden of rescheduling trials. It can also ease the burden on jurors who must take time off work, incur childcare costs, or arrange transportation in ways that would be more challenging without clear, fair reimbursement. In turn, trials are more likely to proceed with less disruption, helping courts maintain their schedules and protect the rights of all parties to a timely and fair adjudication.

Of course, ongoing fairness requires careful implementation. Transparent criteria for compensation,  and reliable payment processes are essential. Jurors should understand what they are compensated for, how payments are calculated, and when claims are processed. Employers also have a role to play: supporting staff who are called for jury duty, within reasonable limits, helps maintain workplace fairness and continuity. The system benefits from feedback from jurors and legal professionals alike, ensuring the policy evolves to meet real-world needs while protecting the integrity of trials.

For clients of Deutschmann de Koning Law, these developments matter beyond administrative design. They influence the lived experience of justice, who can serve, who benefits from jury deliberations, and how the public perceives the fairness of outcomes. If you have questions about how jury service and compensation may affect a specific case, the rights of a juror, or related legal considerations, our team is ready to help you navigate these concerns with clarity and care.

About Deutschmann de Koning Law

Deutschmann de Koning Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann and Nick de Koning focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.ddinjurylaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.