Comprehensive Guide to Federal and State-Level Subpoena Witness Fees
Federal Witness Fee Compensation Framework:
The federal system has set parameters to determine remuneration for witnesses:
Appearance Fee: Witnesses receive a daily rate of $40, inclusive of days dedicated for commuting to and back from court proceedings.
Travel Stipend: This is determined using the government-approved daily allowance, covering expenses such as accommodations, food, and other travel-related outlays.
Distance Reimbursement: Witnesses utilizing their own vehicles are granted a rate of 57.5 cents per mile. This calculation accounts for both ways of the journey, ensuring all transportation costs are covered.
Federal Witness Fee Breakdown: A daily stipend of $40, which includes days spent traveling. Additionally, mileage is remunerated at 57.5 cents per mile, factoring in both ways of the trip.
Helpful Link For Federal Witness Fee Calculation
State-Based Witness Fee Overview:
Witness fees at the state level display notable variation, mirroring the distinct legal and fiscal nuances of individual states. Essential elements to note are:
Diversity: In contrast to the standardized federal approach, states have their distinct criteria for witness compensation. This might be a set daily fee or more intricate assessments based on factors like distance covered or the essence of the testimony.
Fee Breakdown: State-set fees frequently encompass a spectrum of expenses, from compensating the witness for their time to covering travel and, occasionally, lodging costs.
Importance: These compensations are more than procedural. They are crucial to ensuring that witnesses, particularly those commuting long distances or taking leaves from their jobs, don't face a financial strain due to their involvement in the judicial process.
Alabama Witness Fee Guide:
Daily fee of $1.50, plus $0.05 per mile (AL Code § 12-19-131, 2014).
Alaska Witness Fee Guide:
$12.50 for under three hours, $25 for over, with mileage same as state employees (AS 24.25.050).
Arizona Witness Fee Guide:
$12 per day, including travel, plus $0.20 per mile (A.R.S. § 12-303).
Arkansas Witness Fee Guide:
Daily fee of $30, plus $0.25 per mile (Ark. R. Civ. P. 45(e)).
California Witness Fee Guide:
$35 plus $0.20 per mile round trip. $15 for records only (Cal. Gov. Code § 68093, Cal. Evid. Code 1563(b)(6)).
Connecticut Witness Fee Guide:
Daily fee of $0.50, plus state employee rate for mileage (General Statutes § 52-260).
Delaware Witness Fee Guide:
Daily fee of $2, plus $0.03 per mile round trip (70 Del. Laws § 8903).
Florida Witness Fee Guide:
$5 plus $0.06 per mile; $7.50 flat fee for in-county witnesses (Fla. Stat. § 92.142).
Georgia Witness Fee Guide:
Daily fee of $25, plus $0.45 per mile round trip (OCGA § 24-13-25).
Hawaii Witness Fee Guide:
$4 per day, plus $0.20 per mile round trip (HRS § 607-12).
Idaho Witness Fee Guide:
$20 per day, plus $0.30 per mile one way (IRFLP 901).
Illinois Witness Fee Guide:
$20 per day, plus $0.20 per mile round trip (705 ILCS 35/4.3).
Indiana Witness Fee Guide:
$5 or $15 per day depending on case type, plus state employee rate for mileage (I.C. § 33-37-10-2 – 33-37-10-3.5).
Kansas Witness Fee Guide:
$10 full day, $5 half day, plus supreme court-established mileage rate (Iowa Code § 622.69).
Kentucky Witness Fee Guide:
No fees required.
Louisiana Witness Fee Guide:
$25 per day, plus $5 per day for hotel and meals (LA Rev Stat § 13:3661).
Maine Witness Fee Guide:
$10 per day, plus $0.22 per mile round trip (16 M.R.S. § 251).
Maryland Witness Fee Guide:
No witness fee or mileage for fact witnesses.
Massachusetts Witness Fee Guide:
$6 per day plus $0.10 per mile round trip (G. L. c. 262 § 29).
Michigan Witness Fee Guide:
$12 per day (full day), $6 per day (half day), plus mileage at the same rate as state employees (MCR 2.506(G)(1)).
Missouri Witness Fee Guide:
$20 per day plus $0.28 per mile round trip (Minn. Stat. § 357.22).
Montana Witness Fee Guide:
$10 per day plus $0.17 per mile round trip (§ 24.11.336, MCA).
Nebraska Witness Fee Guide:
$20 per day plus mileage paid at the same rate as state employees if more than 1 mile (Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 33-139).
Nevada Witness Fee Guide:
$25 plus mileage paid at the same rate as state employees (NRS 50.255).
New Hampshire Witness Fee Guide:
$30 for a police officer, $24 for everyone else (RSA 516.16).
New Jersey Witness Fee Guide:
$2 per day plus $2 for every 30 miles of travel (N.J.S.A. § 22A:1-4).
New Mexico Witness Fee Guide:
$95 per day (NMSA 1978 § 10-8-4).
New York Witness Fee Guide:
$15 per day plus $0.23 per mile round trip (NY CPLR § 8001).
North Carolina Witness Fee Guide:
$5 per day plus mileage paid at the same rate as state employees (N.C.G.S. § 7A-314).
North Dakota Witness Fee Guide:
$25 per day plus mileage paid at the same rate as state employees (N.D.C.C. § 31-01-16).
Ohio Witness Fee Guide:
$12 for full days and $6 for half days, plus $0.10 per mile round trip (R.C. 2335.06).
Oklahoma Witness Fee Guide:
$10 per day plus mileage paid at the same rate as state employees (28A O.S. § 28-81).
Oregon Witness Fee Guide:
$30 per day plus $0.25 per mile (ORS 44.415).
Pennsylvania Witness Fee Guide:
$5 per day plus $0.07 per mile round trip (42 Pa.C.S. § d5903).
Rhode Island Witness Fee Guide:
$10 per day plus $0.10 per mile round trip (G.L. 2013 § 9-29-7).
South Carolina Witness Fee Guide:
$25 per day plus mileage paid at the same rate as state employees (S.C. R. Civ. P. 45(b)(1)).
South Dakota Witness Fee Guide:
$20 per day plus mileage paid at the same rate as state employees (SDCL § 19-5-1).
Tennessee Witness Fee Guide:
$1 per day plus $0.04 per mile for distances greater than 10 miles; $30 per day plus mileage paid at the same rate as state employees if greater than 10 miles in civil cases (T.C.A. § 24-4-101).
Texas Witness Fee Guide:
Flat fee of $10 per day (TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE § 22.001).
Utah Witness Fee Guide:
$18.50 for the first day, $49 per day for each subsequent day, plus $1 for each 4 miles over 50 miles (Utah Code Ann. § 78B-1-119).
Vermont Witness Fee Guide:
$30 per day plus mileage paid at the same rate as state employees (32 V.S.A. § 1551).
Virginia Witness Fee Guide:
Mileage paid at the same rate as state employees (Code § 2.2-2823).
Washington Witness Fee Guide:
$10-$25 per day, depending on the county (RCW 2.40.010).
West Virginia Witness Fee Guide:
$10 per day plus $0.10 per mile round trip (W. Va. Code Ann. § 33-2-5).
Wisconsin Witness Fee Guide:
$16 per day plus $0.20 per mile round trip (Wis. Stat. § 814.67).
Wyoming Witness Fee Guide:
$30 per day, $15 for half days plus $0.23 per mile (U. R. D. C. 501(a)(3)(B)(i)).