OT - SAHMs and jury duty

[wrighter]

I don't know who else to ask - so I turn to you, my fellow DISers, to see if any of you have some sage advice.

I received a notice for jury duty today. It is a one week duty, in early November. I have one DS5 in kindergarten, and one DD3 who is in preschool two mornings per week. DS5 also has soccer practice, DD has dance class, etc. As any of you SAHM can attest, I am a full time chauffer as well as caregiver. But can this count as a "hardship?" I do not have family nearby who can help out that much.

Anyone else ever been in this situation before? I'm not sure what to do. I don't even know where I would begin to find that kind of coverage for both of my kids for a week.

Any thoughts here? TIA.

 

[sardanem]

I see you are in NJ too, so I will tell you that I was called recently and sent back the card telling them I am a SAHM and primary caregiver and they sent it back saying basically they don't care and won't take that as a valid reason to not go. I got out of jury duty when I was pregnant with my youngest and most recenty I filled out the medical excuse because I have Crohns. I know it is my duty to serve on Jury Duty, but it really is a major inconvenience when you have kids. Good luck.

 

[gillenkl]

Each state is different - I live in DE. Even as a homeschooling mom I was not able to get out of it. And, as luck would have it I got picked for a trial that lasted a week. Good luck. I feel your pain.

 

[lntsmom]

In MO they didn't care what your story was...I've seen people try to claim that because they own a business it would put a dozen people out of work if they can't be there to supervise...I've seen people claim to be ill. I've never seen anyone get out of it.

In MO you can get a 6 months delay...if it would help you arrange for someone to help you, you might ask if that's possible.

All I can say is, we all have to do it. It's no harder for a SAHM that for a working mom. The last time I got called I not only worked full time (and because I'm a teacher I can't just not show up...I still have to prepare all the lessons and grade all the work), but I had one child in elementary, one in daycare, and an elderly relative for whom I was a caregiver. Not only did I still have to do jury duty, I also had to sign over the lousy $5 a day check to my employer so they would still pay me for the days I was gone. Yep, that means I ended up having to pay for parking and lunch out-of-pocket.

Not pretty...but we all have to do it.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

We can't get out of it in Indiana either. My DH had to take a personal day. I sat there for a half day and then was excused. I know a whopping one police officer in the whole state, and he was the star witness!!

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

When I am sent Jury Duty, i just call and let them know I am the primary care provider for my children, there is noone else to watch them and they take me off the list. That easy.

 

[DVCLiz]

If you just need to be gone one day, I would go ahead and make arrangements with a classmate of your children and ask another parent to keep your child for the day. Your son can go home after school with another child, and that mom can take him to soccer practice and pick him after it is over. Your daughter can go home with a friend after preschool. If you need to be gone for more than one day, I would let your husband know he will need to take vacation time to care for the children while you are serving.

 

[kacaju]

In NJ you used to get out of it if you has small children at home. I have heard from many that they no longer let you off. Last time I got notice I ended up not having to serve. I called the number the day before and they said jurors from this number to this number are excused!!

My husband was called for Grand Jury in Trenton a few years ago. He was willing to do it (once a week for 10 weeks) and he even got notice to appear at this time and no excuses will be allowed. Well as it turned out he found out that very week he was going to need heart surgery and when he presented the note from the Dr. the judge excused him BUT they said he would have to serve in June (this was Oct/Nov) Sure enough come June he got notice!!

 

[wrighter]

OP here.

I do know it is my duty to make my "contribution to the administration of justice." (That's what they called it.) And kacaju - I was called into Trenton also, but as a "petit" juror, not a grand juror. Does that mean they're calling me skinny?!

But I digress - I actually think it might be interesting to serve on a jury. Eye opening, at the very least. But I just have no idea what I'm going to do with my kids for that week. One or two days I could probably ask for help. But a whole week?! Yikes! I just don't have that many people I can fall on here.

Here's hoping that either my batch of jurors gets called off, or that on Day One they realize they don't want me in the jury pool.

What in the world am I going to do?

 

[Eeyore's Wife]

When we lived in Texas I had pre-school aged children, and that was considered a hardship, but I had friends and neighbors who were willing to pick up the slack so I showed up for duty.

I wanted to serve on a jury, but alas, I had been the victim of a violent crime and the defense attorney didn't want me on the jury. Silly boy, I deeply believe in the idea of being presumed innocent and I would have sat on that jury with the my mind fully open.

So, it would seem that if you want to serve on a jury, then they will reject you, but if you don't want to serve they will hunt you down.

--Eeyore's Wife

 

[allison443]

I don't know who else to ask - so I turn to you, my fellow DISers, to see if any of you have some sage advice.

I received a notice for jury duty today. It is a one week duty, in early November. I have one DS5 in kindergarten, and one DD3 who is in preschool two mornings per week. DS5 also has soccer practice, DD has dance class, etc. As any of you SAHM can attest, I am a full time chauffer as well as caregiver. But can this count as a "hardship?" I do not have family nearby who can help out that much.

Anyone else ever been in this situation before? I'm not sure what to do. I don't even know where I would begin to find that kind of coverage for both of my kids for a week.

Any thoughts here? TIA.

I am also in NJ like you, and I have been called a few times. It's really inconvenient for working moms, too, as well as SAHMs. For example, I had my schedule arranged so I left for work when my kids got on the school bus. For jury duty, I had to be at court at a certain time and I actually had to leave before the bus came. So I had to make alternate arrangements for them. My work schedule allowed me to be home to drive to activities, my jury duty schedule didn't. I agree it is a pain, but it is necessary.
That said, you may be able to get a postponement, but they will call you again. Usually on your form it will list valid excuses. Does it list caregiver for young child or something like that? I think a lot of the automatic excuses have been eliminated. Believe me, judges and the court system do not care about our kids' soccer practice and dance classes.

Since you don't have family nearby, it might be a good idea to get to know some of your kids' friends parents. It's great to have someone to exchange favors like this. We all need help at one time or another. I'm sure you would be happy to repay the favor and it really eases stress when you can have a mutual support system.

 

[LadyShea]

It certainly can't hurt you to call and explain that you have no child care options and ask if you can be excused. All they can say is no.

 

[LuvnLaney2]

Unfortunately in NJ it is very hard to get off of Jury Duty...I work in a Prison and I still got picked on a jury a few years ago

 

[disny_luvr]

I received jury duty notice the end of July for the first week of September. I, too, am a SAHM of two-year-old twins. After speaking with some friends they told me to call and explain my situation and they'd let me out of it. So, that is what I did, but I was told that being a SAHM is no longer an excuse and that I'd have to make arrangements for my children. I did get picked for one trial but it only lasted a day. My Mom was able to change her schedule around to help me out, which I am very grateful for. I'm in PA so maybe it is different in your state.

Good luck!

**I actually enjoyed the experience. I wouldn't want to serve on a jury often, but every now and then wouldn't be too bad.

 

[DVCLiz]

OP here.

I do know it is my duty to make my "contribution to the administration of justice." (That's what they called it.) And kacaju - I was called into Trenton also, but as a "petit" juror, not a grand juror. Does that mean they're calling me skinny?!

But I digress - I actually think it might be interesting to serve on a jury. Eye opening, at the very least. But I just have no idea what I'm going to do with my kids for that week. One or two days I could probably ask for help. But a whole week?! Yikes! I just don't have that many people I can fall on here.

Here's hoping that either my batch of jurors gets called off, or that on Day One they realize they don't want me in the jury pool.

What in the world am I going to do?

Well, I gave you two options - having friends watch your children or having your husband take vacation time. Your third option is to hire a baysitter for the week.

What I WOULDN'T do is wring my hands about it. Talk to your husband and then get on the phone and start making some plans. Finding child care for preschoolers for one week is not the end of the world.

 

[mjkacmom]

I have have never been on jury duty. I've been a SAHM for 12 years, and that's what I put for my reason to be excused. I just send the form back.

 

[soulbazooka]

As others have pointed out, policies vary by not just state but county and even locality of the court.

The last time I was called, the first thing the (note: female) judge emphasized before jury selection started was that being the primary caregiver to children or older dependents was not an acceptable reason to request a release. She added that the state (not court, state) expected people in that situation to have planned for alternative sources for care.

However, she still did allow potential jurors who wanted to request a "hardship exception" to meet with her privately one at a time in her chambers. I'd estimate that about half of the jury pool of about eighty ended up doing that (which took hours). Most of those requesting exceptions were women of child bearing age.

I think only one or two of them got excused.

 

[Eeyore's Wife]

I just talked to my Sister and we chatted about the Dis and I mentioned the Jury Duty question and she asked me if you were still nursing. I assumed you were not, but she told me that she was excused from Jury Duty because she lives in a "right to breastfeed" state.

It would seem the judge didn't want to have to stop court so she could use someone's private office to pump milk or nurse the baby. Her state guarantees the "right to breast feed" and this includes not only private space but also the amount of time needed to fully pump the breast, which can be 15-20 minutes and/or access to the child to nurse.

So, it may not apply to you, but to other breats feeding moms who feel that serving would impose on feeding their child, this is an avenue to consider.

--Eeyore's Wife

 

[clori]

My state, MA, will let you reschedule up to a year away but will not excuse you for having young children. My dh took a personal day from work.

 

[zoemurr]

one day at a time. Ask your husband to take a day off. Here anyway (NY) just because you are called for a week doesn't mean you need to go for a week, or at all. You are only on call. I've been called 2x (when I had young children) and both times I went in and sat all day and then was excused for 3 years. When my husband was supposed to go he called all week and was never sent in. That counts too, and he was dismissed for 3 years.

Sorry.. just a fact of life. You do meet a lot of nice people there.