Breastfeeding Mom Ejected From Courthouse - Page 2

[a_work_in_progress]

Originally Posted by MamaBear1976

You go, girl! When/where did this happen? And what did the bailiff do after the judge told her to leave you alone?

It happened back in early 2001, in Jamestown NY. The bailiff pouted after that. I still see her around from time to time, and she always gives me a nasty look!

[MamaBear1976]

Originally Posted by a_work_in_progress

It happened back in early 2001, in Jamestown NY. The bailiff pouted after that. I still see her around from time to time, and she always gives me a nasty look!

????

WTF is wrong with her?!

[HappyFox05]

Originally Posted by a_work_in_progress

It happened back in early 2001, in Jamestown NY. The bailiff pouted after that. I still see her around from time to time, and she always gives me a nasty look!

ROFL! That bailiff seems to have some issues. Unfortunately for her, the problem w/staying angry at others is they go on about their lives and you're left angry & seething w/no outlet for your anger. Poor, angry bailiff.

[Demeter9]

It is almost always women I notice. Who complain. Who get mad.

Men usually seem to have a natural tendency to mind their own business.

I suggest public lashings with wet noodles.

[lara1828]

Originally Posted by TheMommyBlawger

Read the article again. She was not breastfeeding "in public". No one could see her feed her child. She was breastfeeding in an office, which she had permission to use. Presumably with the door closed. From the way the story reads, they *came into* the office and asked her to BF someplace else.

I would assume an office in a building like that had a window.

Or what, these two women employees were just patrolling empty offices and found her?

Not that it matters, I just didn't see the point of your snotty response to my post.

[TheMommyBlawger]

Originally Posted by lara1828

I would assume an office in a building like that had a window.

Or what, these two women employees were just patrolling empty offices and found her?

Not that it matters, I just didn't see the point of your snotty response to my post.

I didn't mean to come across as snotty. Sorry.

But the point is, we hear so many times that a woman is asked to BF someplace else because "there are children around" or "someone might be offended". Although I don't know all the facts - wish I did - it sounds like, from the way the article was written, that it was not the sight of the woman breastfeeding, but the idea that she was breastfeeding that bothered somebody. Which makes the situation all that more outrageous.

[peapiebaby]

We have had to sue our not-so-handy handyman for ruining our bathroom and never showing up again. Our pre-trial date is Sept. 4. I had to sue by myself as DH works a town away and can't be there. I have asked the clerks about bringing DD and they said they didn't see why not (however, I was a newspaper reporter before DD and never remember seeing kids in court. Of course, I covered cops so most kids aren't hanging around criminal court, either.)
I'm a bit leery of what will happen then.
I think I will call the judge's assistant, instead of the deputy clerks, to make sure it's OK (as I have no other choice.)
Poor mom.

[lml41981]

Originally Posted by TheMommyBlawger

No, it's a news article and not about me. Otherwise, I would have given you the first-person scoop.

I have BF outside a courtroom where I was appearing as an attorney. But you are not supposed to bring children into a courtroom, ever, without special permission. It would have been fine for the bailiff to ask the PP to take the baby out of the courtroom. But not to stop breastfeeding. The baby is not "authorized to be" in the courtroom, but as long as the judge was ok with the baby being there, the baby could breastfeed there. Get it?

First, I am not an attorney...but my lay understanding is that it doesn't matter if the baby is authorized to be in the courtroom because the way the law currently reads doesn't mention the baby's authority to be present, only the mother's authority. From what I've been told, only the AG or a judge who is officially interpreting the law can breathe spirit into the law...until then, it is the letter of the law that matters.

This is why we need the AG or a judge to officially interpret our law, though. That and to close the stupid loophole that allows our authority to be present to be revoked.

Tex. Health & Safety Code § 165.001 et seq.
1995 Tex. ALS 600; 1995 Tex. Gen. Laws 600; 1995 Tex. Ch 600; 1995 Tex. HB 359
Sec. 165.002. Right to Breast-Feed
A mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized to be.

All that said, I don't think I'd personally be willing to be the one to stand up to a judge who has the ability to put me in jail for contempt of court because I chose to take my nursling into the courtroom. Lactivism is important to me, but my family is more important and being in jail would cause too much stress to my nursling and myself.

[Maple Leaf Mama]

Originally Posted by a_work_in_progress

I was once told to stop nursing in court. It was a bailiff (the only other female in the court) who got on my case. She told me I couldn't nurse in court. She got in my face about it! I smugly told her that anywhere I was authorized to be, I was also authorized to feed my baby. She got mad, turning all different shades of red and purple, and she stomped over to the judge to complain about me. The judge looked at her without expression and told her to knock it off and leave me be.

That's encouraging!I wish I could have seen that.

As for the OP-that's outrageous! Of all frickin places! It's disgusting that they tried to intimidate a mother with a newborn by threatening to call the police.
AARGH!

[provocativa]

I haven't read the whole thread, but I had to go to court when dd2 was a few weeks old. I nursed her in the courtroom, and the judge had me sent to the front of the line to speak to him and settle the matter (dismissed). The baliff was a little uptight, but the judge seemed to think it was no big deal that we were nursing while talking to him. Of course, opinions might differ with an older nursling. I would try to keep baby quiet, bring some Rescue Remedy, and pretend that the babysitter crapped out on you. Sometimes you can mention an issue to a clerk, or the baliff, and the judge can move you to the front of the docket.

[wonderwahine]

im confused, isnt a court technicaly federal property, so irregardless of state laws, you are backed by federal law to breastfeed?

[mamajake]

Originally Posted by wonderwahine

im confused, isnt a court technicaly federal property, so irregardless of state laws, you are backed by federal law to breastfeed?

Federal courts are federal property, state courts are state property.

[justJen]

Has anyone heard if this was ever resolved?

[TheMommyBlawger]

No, I have not heard any follow-up.

[the elyse]

i'm in mckinney as well... i didn't even hear about this.

[mom4peace]

It's so interesting the attitudes towards breastfeeding. Why do some people get SO angry at something so beautiful and natural. Perhaps it's some deep-rooted psychological jealousy/insecurity because so few of us from previous generations were breastfed. It'd be an interesting psychological study. Poor mama. Not what a women needs with a 10-day-old baby.

[TattoMomK]

Originally Posted by Momtwice

Assuming he was quoted accurately, that's a pretty lame defense considering this is a courthouse!

Amen sister.

[TattoMomK]

Originally Posted by mamajake

Federal courts are federal property, state courts are state property.

As a Navy Wife I can tell you that ALL FEDERAL PROPERTY is breastfeeding-protected. In a very good way.