tips for surviving (or getting out of!) jury duty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have way too many lawyers in my immediate family, however, so I always get struck.

having lawyers in your immediate family likely had little to do with you getting struck. I'm a lawyer and recently served on a jury with 2 other lawyers and a paralegal in DC (with the number of lawyers in dc, how could there possibly be a jury w/o lawyers? seriously?). A lot of my lawyer friends have been called and serve as well.

FIL: Workers Comp Defense
BIL: prosecutor, out of state
DH: litigator in speciality area but has done insurance defense and is GAL in DC
Me: Now we get down to it. Wall Street corporate lawyer. BUT, head of pro bono for local office, has done death penalty cases, is on CJA panel for a federal court of appeals has done cert work in the USSC, BUT clerked for a conservative Nixon appointee. Everybody hates me for a jury. And we haven't even gotten to why I can't sit on a med-mal case because half of both families are doctors or nurses...

Please tell me the tag line to say so I can actually sit...

[Anonymous]

One day is easy. Try getting summoned for Federal Grand Jury duty. In Alexandria, VA, that is 1-3 consecutive days per month for 6-18 months. I just got summoned and will be 7 months pregnant. I have a doctor's note and am hoping that will get me excused for obvious reasons.

[Anonymous]

I got called, served, and was the foreperson for a jury in DC Superior Court when I was maybe 6-7 mos pregnant. Being pregnant will not get you out of anything!

[Anonymous]

Also, you won't feel like you are "surviving" jury duty because it is so easy. I served last year on a jury for a 3-day criminal case. I LOVED it because it was a zillion times easier than going to work. We started at 10:30am every day, had an hour for lunch, and were finished by 4 or 4:30 pm. We also had at least 2 short breaks during that time. Also, it was really interesting!!! My husband was recently summoned for the federal grand jury, and luckily he was not picked (because he has educational obligations). Compared to having to do 1-1.5 years, doing a few days is nothing. I would just get it over with -- it's no big deal, really!!

[Anonymous]

Faint or keep requesting bathroom breaks as you hold your tummy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I say...do your duty and serve. You're pregnant, not dying!

I agree! It's your civic duty!! [/quote

agreed. unless you're about to pop or have health issues related to the pregnancy, suck it up and serve. I did. odds are you wont be picked.

[Anonymous]

They will accommodate a pregnant woman. I once was in an airport security line at three months pregnant and got really nauseous. The words "i'm three months pregnant" was all it took to have a team of guards take me out of line, escort me to the bathroom, and then put me back through so I didn't have to stand in line again.

They will understand you need to go to the bathroom more eat, etc.

Just so you know, I did jury duty in DC once and it's not that bad - lots of breaks, opportunities to eat and go to the bathroom. I would get it over with. You DON'T want jury duty with an infant and you can only defer so many times. Just get it done.

[Anonymous]

I've done jury duty both at the DC Superior Court and at the Federal Court. You can't eat in the lounge itself, but you can step right out and eat in the lobby area. And, as PP mentioned, there is a room nearby with internet connections etc. At the Superior Court, they made an announcement on a speaker whenever the jurors had to report to jury lounge, otherwise you were free to roam around the halls etc.

I also agree with PPs on several points - 1) it is really no different, in fact in some cases easier, than sitting at a desk for 8+ hours a day (but of course this assumes you have an office job, I realize that it's not the case for everyone) and 2) hard as it may seem now, it will be much more of a pain if you are called when you have an infant and have to worry about nursing/pumping etc.

I actually served on a jury for a criminal trial and enjoyed the experience, so you might also find it not so bad.

[Anonymous]

Sorry OP, but I agree with the others that it's not that big a deal.

How far along are you and why will this be such a problem? Do you have other children you care for? Do you work?

I would just ask for any accommodations you might need. Otherwise, I don't get why you're so concerned about serving since it sounds like you're still pretty early in the pregnancy.

[Anonymous]

This is an old thread. OP has already either done her jury tour or deferred AND had her baby. Doesn't seem like there were any new questions either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have way too many lawyers in my immediate family, however, so I always get struck.

having lawyers in your immediate family likely had little to do with you getting struck. I'm a lawyer and recently served on a jury with 2 other lawyers and a paralegal in DC (with the number of lawyers in dc, how could there possibly be a jury w/o lawyers? seriously?). A lot of my lawyer friends have been called and serve as well.

FIL: Workers Comp Defense
BIL: prosecutor, out of state
DH: litigator in speciality area but has done insurance defense and is GAL in DC
Me: Now we get down to it. Wall Street corporate lawyer. BUT, head of pro bono for local office, has done death penalty cases, is on CJA panel for a federal court of appeals has done cert work in the USSC, BUT clerked for a conservative Nixon appointee. Everybody hates me for a jury. And we haven't even gotten to why I can't sit on a med-mal case because half of both families are doctors or nurses...

Please tell me the tag line to say so I can actually sit...

Wow. Dick Wolf and NBC would have a field day doing a show about you guys. Law & Order meets ER.