Westmoreland jury donation program raises over $100K for local nonprofits

Westmoreland County jurors have donated more than $100,000 to local charities over the past decade.

It’s a program first implemented in 2016 that allows jurors to forgo their daily pay, which in turn is donated to local charities.

Jurors are paid $9 a day for their first three days of service. The program gives jurors the option to allow the county to donate those funds rather than print and mail out paychecks. Jury pay increases to $25 after three days of service, and that pay is not eligible for donations, said Court Administrator Amy DeMatt.

Since the program was created in 2016, more than 7,300 jurors — about 21% of all who reported for jury duty — donated their pay, according to court officials.

The program saw the lowest level of participation this year, when just 15% of the more than 4,000 jurors who served on criminal and civil court cases donated their pay to charity.

Court officials each year evaluate and recommend the charities to receive donations. Those charities have included: CASA of Westmoreland County, the Blackburn Center, Westmoreland County Food Bank, Pennsylvania Wounded Warriors, Veterans Trust Fund, Westmoreland Bar Association Pro Bono Program, Westmoreland Children First and Union Mission in Latrobe.

The funds are transferred directly from the county to the charity.

President Judge Christopher Feliciani touted the donation program as a community effort.

“We are deeply grateful to the citizens of Westmoreland County who serve as jurors. Their willingness to give their time, attention, and even their juror stipend exemplifies the civic mindedness that strengthens our community.

“Jurors play an essential role in upholding the integrity of our justice system, and their generosity, both in service and in spirit, is a powerful reminder of why the system works,” Feliciani said.

Jury trials have wrapped up for the year. Jurors are not scheduled to report for duty in Westmoreland County until Jan. 5.