jury tax noun the perceived penalty of an increased sentence for an accused criminal who refuses a plea bargain, takes his case to jury trial, and loses US
— Jim Crotty, HowtoTalkAmerican, p. 51, 1997
Will the defendant who insists on a trial be required to pay a “trial penalty” or a “jury tax?” — Cassia C. Spohn, HowDoJudgesDecide?, p. 94, 2003