# Jury duty for parents of young children



## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

A problem many of us have had to deal with.

This was emailed to me. It pertains to my home state. Hope it passes.

Massachusetts Family Friendly Legislation

Senate Bill # 2225

Sponsored by Massachusetts Senator Steven C. Panagiotakos

Currently, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that a stay-at-home parent serve Jury Duty in a State Court without regard to whether or not alternative childcare is available for that family. Many stay-at-home parents do not have immediate access to full-time childcare that is safe, affordable, and adequate. This presents an awful predicament for both the parent and the children involved.

I am asking for your help in supporting Senate Bill #2225 which, if passed, will allow "Such person (who) has custody of and is solely responsible for the daily supervision of a child under the age of 10" the option to claim disqualification from Jury Duty service in a Massachusetts State Court.

A stay-at-home parent who does have access to alternative childcare would, of course, still be allowed to serve on Jury Duty. But for those stay-at-home parents who do not have access to appropriate childcare, this law would allow them to postpone Jury Duty service until their children are older.

At present there are 14 states in our country that have laws allowing a stay-at-home parent the option to disqualify from State Court Jury Duty. There are several more states that are developing legislation which would ease the responsibilities of Jury Duty for stay-at-home parents. Further, 71 of our country's 94 Federal Courts have laws of this nature. To find out more about family friendly Jury Duty policies and efforts throughout the country, visit http://www.familyfriendlyjuryduty.org.

Those of us who are stay-at-home parents certainly understand and respect our civic duty to our state and country to serve on Jury Duty. And we look forward to fulfilling this duty for many years to come. But we need to ask that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts acknowledges our duty to the safety and well-being of our young children first.

Please show your support for Senate Bill #2225 by contacting your local representatives. To find representative and contact information for your district, link on to http://www.state.ma.us/legis/citytown.htm . Both Senators and Representatives may be contacted. If you would like to use or view a sample letter that may be used for this purpose, link on to http://www.familyfriendlyjuryduty.or...s/page0001.htm .

To check the progress of Massachusetts Senate Bill #2225 as it moves thru legislation, go to http://www.state.ma.us/legis/ltsform.htm .


----------



## miranda (Mar 8, 2003)

Here in Mendocino County, California when you receive the summons it gives you different options for excusing yourself. One of them being that you have ot care for young children during the day. It asks for their ages and that's it. Just sign it and mail it in. I did just that a couple of months ago. I am looking forward to a chance to sit on a jury as I think that it's a very important aspect of our civic duty, but ot at the expense of my childrens' well being.


----------



## Peppermint (Feb 12, 2003)

Do I spy something in this forum that we can all agree on?









I have been very afraid of being called to jury duty, I have no one that I would trust with my dc, and I am BFing. This is a very important issue that it seems







: dems and rep. should agree on.

I do look forward to serving on a jury at some point, but not while my children are so small.


----------



## RachelGS (Sep 29, 2002)

I contacted everybody I could in MA! Please, everyone in MA join in. This is so important.


----------



## oceanbaby (Nov 19, 2001)

Our county does allow for this exemption, and I think everyone should have this option.

However, my true dream would be for an ordinance that allowed the spouse to stay home to care for the child so I could serve on jury duty! I have always wanted to serve, and have been called 3 times since ds was born. I have no childcare, but if dh were allowed to take time off work to stay home so I could serve, I would love it!


----------



## kate42 (Feb 2, 2003)

I had to attend jury duty when DD was FIVE WEEKS OLD.









When I got the summons, I called the court clerk. She called me back two hours later and said that I had to come in to sign a form stating I'd been there and then the judge would dismiss me.

Well, the judge didn't dismiss me. I had to stay and watch a video regarding the history of jury duty before I was allowed to leave.

I sat there and breastfed in the dark.


----------



## 3 Little Monkeys (Mar 13, 2003)

I live in Madera County California (central CA) I got a summons when dd was 3 weeks old - they said they would postpone it for three weeks (after my 6 week postpartum check and subsequent "release" by the doctor) so I called and complained a week before and said hey, I have a newborn I am breastfeeding and she will not take a bottle so either I need to be excused or she's coming with me. Now it's been postponed for another 6 months - at which time I'll call and complain again. I don't have anyone here who can watch my kids. I'm all for legislation that supports stay at home moms, sure wish California would get on the ball!


----------

