Jury Duty

[BCattS]

I just got a summons for Jury Duty at the end of March. My babe will be about 15 weeks old when I report. At this point, she is EBF, but I'll be back to work (and pumping like crazy) before I report for jury selection.

Can I be excused from jury duty to pump?

[Emmeline II]

From what I have read from time to time, I would approach it like you have a medical condition that needs accommodation. That you will need X amount of time every X hours to pump for your baby, a private place to pump that has an electrical outlet, and a place to store your pumped milk. It would also help if you had a note from your doctor that details what would happen to you medically if you don't pump (painful engorgement, mastitis) and that you need to pump regularly to adequately feed your baby.

Pumping for such a young babe isn't really compatible with jury duty; they may just let you go. Working moms are generally not given as much leeway since you are already out of the home, but if your work place accommodates your pumping then they may see it as a reasonable request.

[Carlyle]

I just got called for jury duty and "breastfeeding" is listed as one of the things that qualifies you for an exemption. Don't know if that's the case in TN (we're in CA), but perhaps it does for you too? (Not that I can really use it as a valid excuse, given that my nursling is 3 years old...)

[CrunchyChristianMama]

My DH is an attorney and I asked him about this once. He said the best thing to do is bring your baby with you to the selection meetings and explain that your LO is breastfed and needs to be with you since you didn't think you would be able to leave the selection to pump for him. You will be excused most likely.

[boobs4milk]

http://www.llli.org/Law/LawJury.html

and here's something from familyfriendlyjuryduty.org

http://www.familyfriendlyjuryduty.or...s/page0023.htm

looks like you can get an exemption if you write a letter. in my state, all i have to do is report that i am bf and i get an automatic exemption.

[WC_hapamama]

Originally Posted by Carlyle

I just got called for jury duty and "breastfeeding" is listed as one of the things that qualifies you for an exemption. Don't know if that's the case in TN (we're in CA), but perhaps it does for you too? (Not that I can really use it as a valid excuse, given that my nursling is 3 years old...)

In Contra Costa county, just being the primary caretaker of a very young child (under 5) is an exemption.

[fruitfulmomma]

Looks like ya'll have a pretty good law for exemptions there. Colorado doesn't and basically I am left at the whim of whatever the commissioner decides. She's let me out twice with a doctors note but last time she reminded me that the state of Colorado doesn't give a hoot if I am my children's primary caregiver. I am just praying that I don't get called again for a long while. (Oh, yeah, they are supposed to be random but anytime my husband or I have done anything at the DMV we end up with a notice within a month.)

[BCattS]

Thanks, mamas! Great info. I'll be writing a letter.

Wish me luck!

[tinybutterfly]

Good luck! I got called to jury duty twice while nursing and was excused both times.

[haurelia]

Good luck!
When I got a summons recently, I just called the contact number and asked about what accommodations are present for nursing mothers. I stressed that I was very willing to do the duty, but that I'd need to pump milk for my nursling or have DH bring him at breaks to nurse (he would have been 1 at the point, though, so nowhere near as needy for milk as your LO). I got a deferral.