REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES OF JURORS AND PROSPECTIVE JURORS

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a person who reports for jury service in response to the process of a court is entitled to receive as reimbursement for travel and other expenses an amount: (1) not less than $20 for the first day or fraction of the first day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process and discharges the person's duty for that day; and (2) not less than $58 for each day or fraction of each day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process after the first day and discharges the person's duty for that day. (b) In preparing and approving the annual budget for a county, the commissioners court of the county shall determine the daily amount of reimbursement for expenses for a person who reports for jury service and discharges the person's duty. The amount of reimbursement for each day must be within the minimum and maximum amounts prescribed by this section and paid out of the jury fund of the county. The commissioners court may set different daily amounts of reimbursement for: (1) grand and petit jurors; or (2) different petit jurors based on: (A) whether a juror serves in a small claims court, justice court, constitutional county court, county court at law, or district court; or (B) any other reasonable criteria determined by the commissioners court. (c) A person who reports for jury service in a municipal court is not entitled to reimbursement under this chapter, but the municipality may provide reimbursement for expenses to the person in an amount to be determined by the municipality. (d) In a specific case, the presiding judge, with the agreement of the parties involved or their attorneys, may increase the daily amount of reimbursement for a person who reports for jury service in that case. The difference between the usual daily amount of reimbursement and the daily amount of reimbursement for a person who reports for jury service in a specific case shall be paid, in equal amounts, by the parties involved in the case. (e) A check drawn on the jury fund by the district clerk of the county may be transferred by endorsement and delivery and is receivable at par from the holder for all county taxes. (f) A reimbursement for expenses under this section is not a property right of a person who reports for jury service for purposes of Chapters 72 and 74, Property Code. If a check, instrument, or other method of payment authorized under Section 113.048, Local Government Code, representing a reimbursement under this section is not presented for payment or redeemed before the 90th day after it is issued: (1) the instrument or other method of payment is considered forfeited and is void; and (2) the money represented by the instrument or other method of payment may be placed or retained in the county's jury fund, the county's general fund, or any other fund in which county funds can be legally placed, at the discretion of the commissioners court.