[plastikmom]

So in the mail I got a jury duty summons for April 8th. (I'm due the 22nd). It says you can get a doctor's note to get out of it for medical reasons, and I'm sure pregnancy qualifies. However, this is my third summons in about a year's time. I got out of the first two with a letter from my employer claiming hardship in the office without me there. She said she would be unable to do needed surgeries without me (ha, since when is a breast augmentation a needed surgery??) But I was okay with her doing that because I would have lost pay if I had to take all that time off to serve ( I think the court pays you like $15 a day and my employer does not make up the rest). Well now I am thinking I should just show up really pregnant and they will not choose me and maybe they will leave me alone for a while?? I don't want to leave a 4 month old to go serve and it seems I get a summons every 4-5 months at least. Right now I don't care about lost pay and I'd rather go sit in a court room then go to work. What do you think??

[mommywannabe]

I would just go. They might still pick you, but when they ask everyone if there is any reason that they feel they can't serve on the jury you can say that you require frequent bathroom breaks & that you are within so many days of your due date so you could also go into labor at any time. I've personally seen that done, lol, and it worked. They dismissed that juror.
Plus, it'd give you part of a day to sit back and rest a little! Haha

[mrskk826]

I'd rather go now and get out of being selected and then be good for a few years rather than get another summons with a newborn.

[~AmazedByYou~]

I'd certainly go now. Better than going with a breastfeeding child/newborn/young infant.

[ThaiSpice]

I don't think there's any "time out" period around here...just because a person has duty now doesn't exempt them from doing it again within any given time period...but that could just be here. At any rate, in your situation I'd probably go ahead and go. Chances are you won't be selected anyway.

[jen747]

I had jury duty this week, but when I called the day before, I ended up being dismissed & not having to go. As far as I know, pregnancy isn't an excuse, unless you're having complications of course. But I felt the same way...if it was going to be longer than a day, what are the chances of them actually picking me?! I don't know if the laws are different everywhere, but here I think you can only defer three times total, and you can't be summoned more than once a year. Like the others said, I figured it would be better to get it over with now than get called again while I'm bfing (and have to hope for a deferral then). As much as it may suck, I'd just go.

[Purple_cat]

I would go now. It is unlikely that you would get picked anyway and if you did maybe you could go into labor during the trial. Wouldn't that make a fun story to tell your kids?

Plus a day of being forced to sit down might be a good break for you.

[nameetog]

I'd go now too. If you get picked here you are exempt for I think 3 years and if you are summonsed and don't get picked you still get a year off. I think that was the deal in MA anyway. I'd MUCH rather go now than with a nursling at home

[Number5OnTheWay]

I would go now, too. I actually served on a jury when I was pregnant with my 3rd. It was a week-long trial, and at the end, I found out I was the alternate. I think they did that on purpose because they thought I was farther along than I was, and they were worried I wouldn't last the whole trial, but they didn't have any reason to exclude me from the jury, other than pregnancy. Again, that's just speculation.

[kary4]

I was summoned over 3 years ago when I was pregnant with my first. I deferred bc I didn't want to deal with it. Plus I was paranoid about being around all the germs anyway. Haven't been summoned since.

[mama3o]

I'd go and get it over with, however....They don't necessarily make you go if you are your primary caregiver of a young child...especially if you are nursing... So you could do either away.

[Capeladybug]

I would go now as well! The fact that you have deferred twice and they keep sending you the summons is a good indicator that you will be called while at home with a new baby!

[kary4]

But if you are the primary caregiver of a young child and are nursing, you can easily get out of jury duty again...I wouldn't let the future worry you.

[rverrone11]

You can easily get out of jury duty with a new baby at home. But I would still go now because they probably won't pick you.

[plastikmom]

Thanks ladies. I'm glad you think I should go, because that was my gut feeling, but I didn't know if it was crazy to walk into a court house at 38 weeks pregnant! I am counting on the fact that they won't pick me! But even if they do, it will be a break from work!!

[sarahlorrain]

I agree with the others too. They'd be crazy to pick you and even if they did and you went into labor, they'd have to call in their alternate.