Ugh Jury Duty

kat218

Got Jury Duty papers yesterday!  Yay!  Blah.  I'm wondering if since it says you may be excused for a "major medical condition" if being pregnant counts...my doctor already wrote a note but it just states how far along I am and my due date.

I really wouldn't mind going if I didn't have to pee all the time and had to snack all day, since they don't like you to leave for breaks for the bathroom and aren't allowed to bring food in and didn't get tired so fast...

angelc82

I got a jury summons with my last pregnancy and just wrote back that I was going to be 8 mos along at the and the excused me. I got another one about a month and a half ago. I just went in because I knew they weren't going to pick me. I told them that there was no way I could sit still that long. I would be too uncomfortable, have to pee often and need to eat before we would have a break(I am always hungry:-)) Not to mention my hormones. They couldn't get rid of me fast enough.

AlwaysMrsS

angelc82:

I got a jury summons with my last pregnancy and just wrote back that I was going to be 8 mos along at the and the excused me. I got another one about a month and a half ago. I just went in because I knew they weren't going to pick me. I told them that there was no way I could sit still that long. I would be too uncomfortable, have to pee often and need to eat before we would have a break(I am always hungry:-)) Not to mention my hormones. They couldn't get rid of me fast enough.

That just made me laugh

KeriMac

I just had my jury duty week 3 weeks ago.  I lucked out and didn't get called, but since I had to go through the whole process of "calling in" every night, I completed my obligation and I am now cleared for 6 years!

You can get a one-time postponement but it will be much harder trying to deal with jury duty with an infant.  I bet if you get called, they will excuse you.  They can't deny a pregnant woman food, drinks or bathroom proviledges, so if you get called in, I would be clear about what your needs are and I bet they let you go!

sandylou

KeriMac:

I just had my jury duty week 3 weeks ago.  I lucked out and didn't get called, but since I had to go through the whole process of "calling in" every night, I completed my obligation and I am now cleared for 6 years!

You can get a one-time postponement but it will be much harder trying to deal with jury duty with an infant.  I bet if you get called, they will excuse you.  They can't deny a pregnant woman food, drinks or bathroom proviledges, so if you get called in, I would be clear about what your needs are and I bet they let you go!

omg, jealous! Ours is good for 1 or 2 years max.

OP, I would go ahead and give it a while. You can fake m/s at any point and as PP said be clear about what your needs are.

pawcall

I continue to be mystified by peoples reaction to jury duty.  Would we all be happier without trials?

beetlebug00@comcast.net

i really had to laugh reading this.  i'm a court reporter and just sat through a three-day trial.  i've never seen anyone be excused for being pregnant, but congrats to you guys who did!  it's brutal sitting there! 

i'm lucky that my judge is really understanding and lets me take lots of breaks.  he seems to think i'm going to be able to do a murder trial the beginning of january.  i'm due the 7th.  we'll see how i'm feeling by then, but i may need to be "excused" as well. 

Tracy6450

I think you should just go and get it over with and when you are there voice your concerns on why you don't think you would be a good juror and they will probably dismiss you.  I'm not sure how it works in other states but in NJ I was called to jury duty while a senior in college.  I called to try and be excused because I would have to travel an hour home to serve and because I said that jury duty would conflict with my studies and finals.  The woman I talked to said "Ok when are you finished with school" and sure enough I was called again 3 weeks after I was home from gradution.  So if you can get excused now they may very well call you again as soon as your baby is born.  I'd rather sit through jury duty pregnant than sit through jury duty with major lack of sleep trying to care for a newborn at home. 

NewBlue

I sat through a trial recently.  It was for the murder of a 3 year old.  I was about 4 months pregnant and another lady was about 7 months pregnant.  Both of us were picked.  It was awful but I do recognize the need to serve.  I would just go and if they ask if there is anything that would prevent you from serving just say that you take bathroom breaks every hour or so.  I agree it is best to get it over with now. 

turbostang7

cdobry01:

I continue to be mystified by peoples reaction to jury duty.  Would we all be happier without trials?

This... But I guess I'm also in the minority when I say I would love to be called for jury duty.

Tracy6450

NewBlue:

I sat through a trial recently.  It was for the murder of a 3 year old.  I was about 4 months pregnant and another lady was about 7 months pregnant.  Both of us were picked.  It was awful but I do recognize the need to serve.  I would just go and if they ask if there is anything that would prevent you from serving just say that you take bathroom breaks every hour or so.  I agree it is best to get it over with now. 

I'm surprised the defense kept you two as jurors based on the case. 

jaejaevee

turbostang7:

cdobry01:

I continue to be mystified by peoples reaction to jury duty.  Would we all be happier without trials?

This... But I guess I'm also in the minority when I say I would love to be called for jury duty.

I agree.

I have always happily gone to jury duty.  The only time I've asked to postpone was this past year because we had a pre-planned vacation for the dates I was called.  When I asked to postpone, the next available date was late December so I pushed it back a couple more months, but only because I was given the option to do so. 

skoogirl

Since I work in litigation I believe that jury duty is your civic duty and something you shouldn't try to get out of.  Also, most trials have quite a few breaks for various reasons. When I lived in DC I was called for duty every 2 years to the date.  I usually got picked for the jury.  I really hated being on juries because it seems there's just no common sense out there any more. Nonetheless, it's part of trusting our judicial system.

MsixelA

I've only been called since I moved to LA (I didn't change my license or anything bc I'm only temporarily here) so I called and told them that I am stationed out of state with my AD husband, but if I needed to I could come up and do it.

I agree with PP that I would just explain that you need breaks and whatnot, but it will be a lot easier to deal with being uncomfortable now then having to find childcare and for a newborn.

ACindyinCanada

turbostang7:

cdobry01:

I continue to be mystified by peoples reaction to jury duty.  Would we all be happier without trials?

This... But I guess I'm also in the minority when I say I would love to be called for jury duty.

This for me too...but I'll never be called for jury duty now because I'm a lawyer.  I would have loved to have been a juror before I became a lawyer!  I realize that it's not an easy thing -- but it really is an important piece of the justice system.

skoogirl

ACindyinCanada:

turbostang7:

cdobry01:

I continue to be mystified by peoples reaction to jury duty.  Would we all be happier without trials?

This... But I guess I'm also in the minority when I say I would love to be called for jury duty.

This for me too...but I'll never be called for jury duty now because I'm a lawyer.  I would have loved to have been a juror before I became a lawyer!  I realize that it's not an easy thing -- but it really is an important piece of the justice system.

If you live in DC there's no no-lawyers rule.  I'm a paralegal and have sat on several juries. 

kat218

Thanks ladies for all the input.

SO like I said, I wouldn't mind if I didn't have to pee and was so tired all the time.  I'm not trying to get out of it forever, just call me in in a few months when I'm a little more stable. Wouldn't you want a sane person on your jury? Childcare for me during jury duty wouldn't be a problem.  I would much rather go through the day with a couple cups of coffee and cokes which is not what I can do now since I cut all caffeine out of my diet.  I'm lucky at my job, I get up to help patients at least every 15-30 min so I can get up to walk around and snack and pee. I wouldn't feel well enough to sit all day.  And I don't know about you, but with these pregnancy hormones, everyone is guilty.

I live on the other side of Oahu and the courthouse is clear across the other side.  Traffic is AWFUL!! Since about 80% of everyone here works out in that direction, if I were to get there on time at 730ish I would have to leave my house at 4:30AM to get through traffic for what would normally w/o traffic be a 45 minute drive.  I can't hold my pee that long.  Coming back is the same story.  Leaving town at 430-5 would have me home by 7/730.

Many other women I've spoken to (the ones out here anyway) have said they've been excused/potponed due to pregnancy and after they gave birth they "did their duty" when summoned and went about serving just fine.  I just wrote a letter stating my due date note from my Dr., that I pee often, need to snack and am a little emotional and tired all day.  NBD if they want me to come in anyway, I'll pee in the car or something...I just feel sorry for whoever is on trial. ; )