OT - SAHMs and jury duty

[allison443]

btw...there is onsite childcare in almost every courtroom across the state. they wont tell you about it. its not really for you, but its there. bringing my children would not result in my being arrested. thats quite laughable.

What state are you referring to that has onsite daycare in "almost every courtroom"? As an attorney I have been in almost every courthouse in all five boroughs of NYC, as well as federal courts. I have also been in courthouses in NJ, where I live. Not a single one of them has onsite daycare for jurors or for employees or anyone else.

You said yourself in this post that a daycare wouldn't just let you drop off a kid because they can't take care of "random children". Why would the courthouse do that then?

 

[allison443]

I find that most people who don't deal with the Court system on a frequent basis have no notion of the power that most judges have when it comes to behaviour in their courtrooms. They are well-nigh omnipotent, and they are well aware of it. Protesting is absolutely futile, and the more you do it, the more determined the judge will be to make an example of you and nail your hide to the barn door. A colleague of DH once missed the birth of one of his children because he protested when the judge refused to grant a continuance when his wife was in labor -- he not only didn't get his continuance but got a 24 hr. contempt sentence for unwisely mouthing off to the judge.

I agree. This is exactly what I have seen over the years, when I was in the courtroom daily. The judges take the system very seriously, they will not be swayed by the opinion of the Disboards!

 

[imthatgirl]

What state are you referring to that has onsite daycare in "almost every courtroom"? As an attorney I have been in almost every courthouse in all five boroughs of NYC, as well as federal courts. I have also been in courthouses in NJ, where I live. Not a single one of them has onsite daycare for jurors or for employees or anyone else.

You said yourself in this post that a daycare wouldn't just let you drop off a kid because they can't take care of "random children". Why would the courthouse do that then?

where did i say there was a daycare or that they take random children. i said they have people that provide childcare but its not for you or i.
im in MA.
this past summer i was called to be a witness in a case. i didnt want to go. i had no interest so i tried everything under the sun to get out of it. including my children. they had me bring my children so i could testify.

 

[kcromley]

I'm surprised at the hostility toward mothers of small kids here. It is a relatively short period of a person's overall adult life; the justice system would not fail if mothers of small children were deferred upon request for a few years from jury service. It is only a deferral, after all.

 

[imthatgirl]

"Drop off daycare", as I understand it, means you sign up and register your child, give the daycare place all the necessary information, and then you are able to just use and pay for the daycare as needed, like for jury duty or another situation.
As opposed to regularly using the daycare while you work.
It doesn't mean you just go and drop off your kid there one day.

why in the world would a stay at home mom ever register at a daycare? i have never heard of a daycare that will let me register my children just incase someday many months or years down the line i might need them.
of course ive never used a daycare. i have a sil who works at one and i jokingly said one day could she take my son so he could play. the answer was no, he had to go on a regular basis.
infact everyone i know who uses daycare, if their child is sick they still pay for the day they are out, its more like a tuition they pay.

if someone could post some proof that these "drop off" daycraes exsist, id love to see it. as far as i know, they dont.

 

[CrzyforPiglet]

I totally understand that it is my right and in a lot of ways a duty to serve on a jury if eligible but I also think some courts need to be a little more reasonable. Last year I received notice that I would be on call for 30 DAYS for a federal court and only by calling the day before every day would I find out if I had to serve jury duty or not. How on earth they expected me as a SAHM or any other working person to deal with that was ridiculous! Luckily my son was in speech therapy so I ended up being excused but I'm scared of being called again. A day or even a week my DH and I could deal with but not a whole month but I guess we'll have to deal with that if and when the time comes. I also think its ridiculous that I've been called 3 times for jury duty and my dear husband has never been called. Perhaps the courts should make sure everyone has been called to at least once before recalling others.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

if someone could post some proof that these "drop off" daycraes exsist, id love to see it. as far as i know, they dont.

Drop in daycare is well known. Works for date nights, jury duty, weddings, school cancellations etc. Here are the first two that come up in a search.

http://www.club4kids.com/

http://www.kidstationonline.com/

 

[DVCLiz]

There is a business in my hometown that provides drop in child care. I'm not sure if it is a chain or just a local enterprise.My children are older so it wasn't in business when I might have used it (and I had fulltime daycare for them anyway) but you can use it by the hour. I believe the procedure is to go and fill out paperwork and have a "trial" visit with mom present so everyone can see what the facility is like, meet the teachers, etc. I think they usually have two teachers there at a time, and adjust for the crowd level. I'm not sure what their policies are or whose standards they have to follow (state daycare regulations or local occupancy numbers.)

I think it is probably true that larger chain daycare centers don't have provisions for drop in care but to say none do is inaccurate. As mentioned before, I believe KinderCare and Childnren's World both have had drop in options in the past. That would have been a last resort for me, but if it had been my only choice I would have used it.

Really, we can argue 'til the cows come home about whether the legal system SHOULD require mothers of young children to serve as jurors. But I believe we have established our feelings on that subject. No one has said, "Oh, I love jury duty and making arrangments for my small children is a breeze!"

But feeling that way and being allowed to skip it are two different things, at least in some jurisdictions. And after you've vented and raged about it, you still have to face the fact that if you are called, you have to be there and your children have to be somewhere else. So why not look at what your realistic options are and have some control over the situation?

 

[DVCLiz]

I totally understand that it is my right and in a lot of ways a duty to serve on a jury if eligible but I also think some courts need to be a little more reasonable. Last year I received notice that I would be on call for 30 DAYS for a federal court and only by calling the day before every day would I find out if I had to serve jury duty or not. How on earth they expected me as a SAHM or any other working person to deal with that was ridiculous! Luckily my son was in speech therapy so I ended up being excused but I'm scared of being called again. A day or even a week my DH and I could deal with but not a whole month but I guess we'll have to deal with that if and when the time comes. I also think its ridiculous that I've been called 3 times for jury duty and my dear husband has never been called. Perhaps the courts should make sure everyone has been called to at least once before recalling others.

Well, if they eliminate SAHMs or any other working person, who is left to be federal court jurors? NO ONE would find it easy to rearrange a whole month of their life - and yet those jury pools get filled every day and the legal system keeps humming along.

I would HATE to be called for Grand Jury - you have to serve for a year and it's one day a month. I hope I NEVER get called for it. I don't even like regular jury duty - I am always thrilled when I make that phone call the night before and hear the magic words that I am not needed. But no one in the court system cares in the least how I feel.

Jury lists aren't done based on who hasn't ever served. The names get prepared and then it's just random. Some people get called every time, some never do. It's the fairest way to assure that jurors are most likely to be a "jury of your peers", which is why it's done that way and not another.

 

[cruellababy]

I really feel for all of you! I have never been called and if I was I would really be up a creek We have 2 small kids- 7 with Autism and a 3 y/o in pre-school. DH works 3-3am and we downsized as in having only 1 car. We have no family here-closest is Fla. You all have given me something to think about!

 

[beattyfamily]

Haven't read all the replies but wanted to tell you my experience.

I am a SAHM with no one to watch my kids either.

First, I requested a one year delay and was given it. But they only let you do that once.

Then once the year went by, unfortunately, my husband stayed home to watch them while I did my jury duty. Luckily, I wasn't chosen for a case.

There is no way out that I know of when you are a SAHM.

Good luck!

 

[imthatgirl]

Drop in daycare is well known. Works for date nights, jury duty, weddings, school cancellations etc. Here are the first two that come up in a search.

http://www.club4kids.com/

http://www.kidstationonline.com/

wow, you go a long way for your childcare. im not willing to fly my kids out there.

 

[imthatgirl]

There is a business in my hometown that provides drop in child care. I'm not sure if it is a chain or just a local enterprise.My children are older so it wasn't in business when I might have used it (and I had fulltime daycare for them anyway) but you can use it by the hour. I believe the procedure is to go and fill out paperwork and have a "trial" visit with mom present so everyone can see what the facility is like, meet the teachers, etc. I think they usually have two teachers there at a time, and adjust for the crowd level. I'm not sure what their policies are or whose standards they have to follow (state daycare regulations or local occupancy numbers.)

I think it is probably true that larger chain daycare centers don't have provisions for drop in care but to say none do is inaccurate. As mentioned before, I believe KinderCare and Childnren's World both have had drop in options in the past. That would have been a last resort for me, but if it had been my only choice I would have used it.

Really, we can argue 'til the cows come home about whether the legal system SHOULD require mothers of young children to serve as jurors. But I believe we have established our feelings on that subject. No one has said, "Oh, I love jury duty and making arrangments for my small children is a breeze!"

But feeling that way and being allowed to skip it are two different things, at least in some jurisdictions. And after you've vented and raged about it, you still have to face the fact that if you are called, you have to be there and your children have to be somewhere else. So why not look at what your realistic options are and have some control over the situation?

kindercare absolutely does not allow drop ins. not here anyway. they dont exsist here.

no, if i am called i do not have to go. so i dont.

 

[Traveliz]

Well I can speak a bit to drop in day care. It does exist in varying forms but is not "easy" in many areas to find. Larger metropolitan areas probably are the best bet. In this economy a smaller daycare "might" take a drop in but typically drop ins are subject to the same state regulations that regulars are which means registering in advance (kind of an oxymoron) with papers that include medical and dental forms, permission papers, etc.

Disney provides drop in care...that is what those kids clubs are. Somehow FL regulations allow for that without the medical forms.

Regardless it is not realistic to think anyone can find a drop in center when needed in every area of the country.

Liz

 

[DVCLiz]

kindercare absolutely does not allow drop ins. not here anyway. they dont exsist here.

no, if i am called i do not have to go. so i dont.

And I think everyone would agree that's a good thing.

 

[imthatgirl]

And I think everyone would agree that's a good thing.

wow youre so quick with the personal attacks. maybe you need to read the posting rules again

 

[beattyfamily]

I'm surprised at the hostility toward mothers of small kids here. It is a relatively short period of a person's overall adult life; the justice system would not fail if mothers of small children were deferred upon request for a few years from jury service. It is only a deferral, after all.

ITA!!!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I'm surprised at the hostility toward mothers of small kids here. It is a relatively short period of a person's overall adult life; the justice system would not fail if mothers of small children were deferred upon request for a few years from jury service. It is only a deferral, after all.

And what about the single working mothers? The ones who don't get reinbursed for the whopping $12.00 per day you earn at jury duty. How fair is it to excuse one and not the other?

We all have our hardships and problems. Some may be worse then others, but they are still there .

 

[Crystal824]

I got called for jury duty next month. It is a major inconvience to everyone, but it is the why our legal system works. Of course, I have other things to do, but I will go. I will probably not be choosen as I work in the legal system. I do not have children, but I have a very demanding job that will still need attention even though I can't physically be there. I just think that everyone who gets called should serve if they can at all do it.

 

[DVCLiz]

Thanks, everyone, for the PMs and the support. Wishing everyone a pleasant day and a nice weekend .