pregnancy and jury duty.

kateronium · July 2014

So I just got my first ever summons in the mail today and I also happen to be 8 months pregnant. Should I sick it up and take the pain of squirming in a hard seat and having to pee all the time? Or get my doctor to write me a note? How have you ladies handled jury duty?

SGC29 · July 2014

Why try to get out of it? Without a legit medical reason I'd just do it. It is your civic duty.

caballablanca · July 2014

I think most will let you either get out or defer to a later date because of pregnancy or newborn. I would look up and see what they say on the matter.

boymomstrong · July 2014

You should go! No one will pick you incase you go in to labor, and then you have done your duty...
Believe me, i have been around the legal system my whole life! (In the employee side not, the criminal side! Lol)

SanRemo · July 2014

I agree that you should go. Seriously nobody will probably want you due to your condition. You also might not even have to show up if you call the night before and they tell you that you are not needed.

kateronium · July 2014

I guess I'll have to see what the case is the.. I'm just worried. I've never had jury duty before

Leysin97 · July 2014

I had jury duty at about 4 months. I was still suffering from morning sickness so was a bit worried. They gave us a bunch of breaks (about every 1-1.5 hours). It took all day. In the end I was not picked. I was so high up in numbers I wasn't even asked questions and the chance of getting picked was slim to none from the beginning. It wasn't too bad. I was worried at first. Glad I got it over with and don't have to go after baby comes.

ready-or-not · July 2014

I got a summons about 2 months ago, & it was for a 3 month term with my EDD smack in the middle of the term. I filed to be excused & was granted. This was my 3rd summons & I have served on each other term so I had no qualms about bailing out this time.

yeah. · July 2014

I went at 8 months pregnant. I sat there for a day (much like I do at my job) and went home.

I don't think i understand the question. please ask your doctor. He'll laugh in your face.

lizshort96 · July 2014

I just got one last week with my reporting date on my actual due date. I wouldn't have a problem if it were in the next 2 weeks but seriously, on my due date?!? I have that kind of luck. Doc wrote me an excuse until 6weeks pp assuming no csec.

MTAtlanta · July 2014

I got my first ever summons a few weeks ago. It was for the day before my due date, so i called and was excused. I also stay home with my two year old and she said until he's old enough for school that was an excusable reason too. They sent me something in the mail to be notarized and mailed in. No big deal.

I couldn't believe when i was finally called i couldn't go! I've always been curious about it and now have to wait a few more years.

Peedy · July 2014

I served on a jury while pregnant. Everything was resolved in one day. It was a DUI case, very interesting. I never would have asked for my date to be excused, because then you just get a later date and I'd need to manage getting there while having an infant... That seems way more difficult.

poptart109 · July 2014

I'm in a similar- but not really -situation. I got subpoena'd at work and they've put the case off 3 months. It has now turned into 2 cases- a new charge and a VOP that I'm witnesses to both. It's set to go to court when I'm 9mo pregnant. My employers attorney says I'm not going to be able to get out despite my recent PTL I had and that my dr has told me at 36w he's no longer stopping my labor. (Same time frame as court)

at least in jury duty they can see you're heavily pregnant. I've gotten a notice and never even made it to the questioning phase because they had everyone by the time I've called to check in. GL!

Valancyy · July 2014

Like some others have said, I'd go. I bet they just let you go, if you even get that far. I'm sure they don't want to risk one of the jurors going into labor and having to use an alternate. Then, you've done your duty for a while. Rather do it now than with a baby.

I was picked almost a year ago. I was (am) a SAHM, and in NY that's not an excuse. My husband had to take vacation days to stay with our boys, and I was picked! So I had to sit on the jury for 4 days (I had JUST stopped b'feeding too...I bet if I was b'feeding they would have excused me). Pretty inconvenient, but then again, I'm sure it's inconvenient for most people. My fellow jurors all would have rather been somewhere else.

marajay6 · July 2014

Flygirl1228 said:

Have a doctor write you out. You don t know the case that you could be selected for you and you don't know if that case could take months. My partner was almost selected for a murder case. If she did it would have taken three months. She got out of it because she knew the family that was involved. It's a small town. They actually had to move it to the city because they soon found out the whole county knew the family. Actually it was on Dateline NBC last Friday if anyone is interested.

This is hardly a decent reason to get a doctor's note. It is very rare to be selected for a jury case that lasts more than a few days. And they wouldn't select a late term pregnant woman for a case that would last that long.

I have only done jury duty one time. They were really picky about who they selected. They filled the jury box, asked us a bunch of questions then dismissed all but 3 or 4. Then the did it again and again until they had a full jury. Less than half the people that show up actually serve. Take a good book or make sure you have a fully charged battery on your phone. A lot of sitting and waiting.

sharkmama39 · July 2014

I'd go. If they do call you in they will most likely end up dismissing you with how pregnant you are. Then you will be off the hook for quite a while. If you put it off you will most likely end up having to go the next time and it will probably be while you are working about a newborn

FrodaBaggins · July 2014

MTAtlanta said:

I got my first ever summons a few weeks ago. It was for the day before my due date, so i called and was excused. I also stay home with my two year old and she said until he's old enough for school that was an excusable reason too. They sent me something in the mail to be notarized and mailed in. No big deal. I couldn't believe when i was finally called i couldn't go! I've always been curious about it and now have to wait a few more years.

@MTAtlanta, my husband got his first ever summons a few years ago and was SO EXCITED. He put his suit on, went downtown to the courthouse and was not picked, due to the fact that he had trained police officers in our city in martial arts. He was sooo disappointed! I I can't serve due to not being a citizen, but I'm getting my citizenship later in the year and expect I'll get another notice shortly after that.

sandrabrooke · July 2014

I would love to do jury duty! I get paid for it even....and I love law.

In all honesty though...I'd go through with it. Just so you don't get summoned later on.

nilvero · July 2014

I'd go. In my county you spend a Monday at the courthouse. They call different jurors for different cases. After that, you go to the courtroom and answer different questions about your background. Then they announce who they have picked. Most of them are for short one day trials that same week.

Like PPs have said, they probably won't pick you once they are how pregnant you are.

I had to go and got picked during the second week of school (I'm a teacher). It was a very interesting process and case!

bohemianlc · July 2014

I was called up for jury duty when I was about seven months along. With the way the baby was positioned at that point, I had to pee every 20-30 minutes (not exaggerating!). I showed up at the courthouse, sat through the directions, introduced myself as a juror, and all that jazz. When they asked if anyone wanted a word with the judge about reasons they may not be a good choice for the jury, I was frank and honest with him. I told him I was happy to stay if I could be accommodated, but I would probably need to access a bathroom every 30 minutes or so. He said it was probably more of a hassle than it was worth and thanked me for actually showing up instead of trying to get out of it. He also told me he was excusing me instead of deferring my service.

If you're feeling up to it, I would just show up and see how it goes. I actually thought the idea of serving seemed fun; I was just concerned about the bathroom issue! Only you know how much you can handle. But if you feel like it would be a huge strain on you and you're feeling anxiety about it, I'm sure your doctor could write you an excuse to get you out of it.

Wyn · July 2014

I was on a jury for a two day personal injury trial when my baby was about 6 months old. My hubby stayed home from work that day and bring baby to me to nurse once or twice (I could have pumped though). I thought it was very interesting experience and remember thinking I hope if I ever have to go through a trial for something that people will care enough to be engaged in a process that is very important to the people involved.

alena0304 · July 2014

I am 32 weeks pregnant and I got out of mine... maybe because it hasn't been more than 12 months since I last sat in on jury duty but either way I put both reasons and they excused it. I just figured if i don't feel good or go into labor i don't want to be the reason the case is extended or held out.. you have to sit pretty long and having to pee every 30 min lol might not help move the case along.. but your choice.. you know your body if you think you will be fine go for it.. I personally knew it wouldn't work for me..

laurid75 · July 2014

I just got summoned as well for a week in August when I will be 37+ weeks pregnant. I asked to be excused and they said no problem. I didn't want to take any chances of going into labor, not to mention sitting in those hard chairs all day for potentially a week or longer!

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