Legal Definitions - mileage

Mileage refers to the distance traveled, typically measured in miles. In a legal and governmental context, it most often refers to an allowance or reimbursement provided to individuals for their travel expenses when they are required to travel for official legal or public service purposes. This compensation covers the cost of transportation based on the distance traveled.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of "mileage" in a legal context:

• Example 1: Witness Reimbursement

  A key witness in a criminal trial lives 75 miles away from the courthouse. The court issues a subpoena requiring their presence to testify. To ensure the witness is not financially burdened by fulfilling their legal obligation, the court orders that they receive mileage reimbursement for their travel expenses to and from the courthouse for each day they are required to appear.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates mileage as an allowance paid to a witness to cover the cost of their travel, which is a common practice to facilitate participation in legal proceedings.

• Example 2: Government Employee Travel

  An attorney working for a state's Attorney General's office needs to travel 200 miles to a different city to attend a mandatory court hearing related to a case they are prosecuting. After the trip, the attorney submits an expense report to their department to claim mileage reimbursement for the official travel undertaken using their personal vehicle.

  Explanation: Here, mileage refers to the compensation provided to a public employee for the use of their personal vehicle or other travel costs incurred while performing their official duties, which are often legally mandated or related to legal processes.

• Example 3: Juror Compensation

  A citizen is summoned for jury duty and resides 40 miles from the courthouse. For each day they serve on the jury, they receive a small daily stipend along with mileage to help offset the cost of their commute, such as fuel and vehicle wear and tear.

  Explanation: This illustrates mileage as an allowance given to jurors to cover their travel expenses, acknowledging the civic duty they perform and ensuring that travel costs do not become a barrier to participation.