Jury Duty Exemption for SAHM?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-07-2004
Jury Duty Exemption for SAHM?
11
Wed, 09-08-2004 - 3:59pm
Lucky me, I received that jury duty qualification questionnaire while on vacation last month. The one they send prior to calling you in for actual duty. Yep, second time in two years or so. I have no objections to serving ... but I'm wondering if I qualify for that "extreme inconvenience" exemption that they mention on the back of the form ... and if so, how do I go about asking for one? The only exemptions noted on the actual qualifying form itself were for persons 1) Over 70 2) Who had previously served on a grand or petit jury within in the last two years or 3) Civil servants in the volunteer fire department, firemen, policemen ...

The first time I was called, I was within two weeks of my due date with #2 and I was staying at home with my daughter ... we are out-of-state from family and friends and other support and don't have good babysitter connections, let alone for during business/school hours! We called someone ... some number on the form and they excused me. But it was pretty touch and go until we reached the right person. Not like anyone would have put a 38 wk pregnant woman on a jury anyway (at least I don't think they would!! LOL) I don't remember how we pulled it off now!! This new form says something about not being able to call for an excuse ... what?!

This time, I'm not pregnant ... but I am my children's (4.5 yrs & 2 yrs) sole caregiver during working hours, not to mention dd's transport to preschool. My DH works in an extremely demanding and stressful job ... he MIGHT be able to work from home, but it would REALLY be a stretch. I have a neighbor-mom that is very cool ... but she homeschools and I just can't imagine asking her to watch my two in addition to her own three while she is trying to teach them. My 2 yr old is great, but he's a handful. It's the kind of imposition that I'd only consider in an emergency. As a last resort, my parents MIGHT be able to drop everything and drive seven hours and stay (indefinitely if I get picked?) until I am done ....

And even if I *could* locate the perfect, available daytime sitter ... at seven or eight bucks an hour ... that seems like an unfair imposition on the houshold budget. Can't they call someone else until the kids get a little older or my circumstances change? LOL!

Am I being a silly cow for thinking I should be exempt? I know jury duty is inconvenient for *everyone* ...

Help! Anyone have an experience with this issue? Any tips? Ideas?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2003
Mon, 09-13-2004 - 12:09am
I live in California. I am the sole caregiver for my two young children, except on Fridays when I work and have a sitter watch the kids. I got out of my jury duty obligation for Mon-Thurs, but had to appear on Friday since that is the day I would have normally been at work. I appeared, but did not have to serve. If you are nursing, you also are relieved for a year of jury obligations.

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