Anonymous wrote:One of your teeth were sick? What would you and your husband do?

Put down the crack pipe.

Your husband misses his meeting. You are being summoned by a court - this is more important than his meeting.

Just take them. The people who are checking you in are human and will tell you what to do (probably instructions to excuse you). If you tell them your husband is picking them up at 10 they will believe you and not that this is a big excuse to get out of it. I got to keep my phone in the big waiting room. Where I was for 3 hours then dismissed.

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t your kids in school?

It’s summer vacation in the DMV.

8 and 10 can be by themselves until 10 am when husband is available. It's a few hours, not all day.

1.) Send them with your husband
2.) You must have a neighbor or friend or someone who can watch them for an hour or two.

Most people are very willing to help and, in fact, like to help out!

Friend to take them for just a short time? Morning playdate.

Aren’t your kids in school?

No, I would not bring your children.

Simply do not show up.
There has got to be a phone no.# or website where you can directly tell someone of your circumstance….maybe present a note from your babysitter confirming that she was set to watch your kids but had to cancel due to an emergency?

Are you in DC?
There is a phone number to call with emergencies. They will give you a different date to come in. It’s in the summons and or is an option when you call the juror services number.
I was just there Monday and they don’t freak out if you aren’t there at 10 on the dot. By the time I got in the building, upstairs, thru the line, it was several mins after and there was a line behind me. They didn’t start calling juror pools till probably 10:30/10:45.

If you live elsewhere perhaps it is better run and they do care if you are a minute late, but I doubt a few mins matters.

I hope you live somewhere with a smarter general population. My pool of adults had several people who couldn’t put themselves in numerical order while all wearing numbered badges (simple numbers like 32). Sigh.

Anonymous wrote:PP’s above. I spoke with an attorney friend who believes they could find me in contempt if I do this because it’s a common excuse to get out of JD, particularly in the summer when school isn’t in session. But maybe she is just looking out for me in a worst-case scenario?

?? Np. This is ridiculous. Emergencies come up. Your friend is dumb or trying to be mean to you. -lawyer

8 and 10 years old?!? Leave them at home until the dad’s meeting is over. I thought it would be about a newborn.

OP, what court is this? I would not let my kids out of my sight in a courthouse like DC Superior. You’d be better off leaving them home alone with the ten year old as the babysitter. Can DH take them to work?

Anonymous wrote:Just remember that you can’t bring your phone in so your husband won’t be able to contact you on his timing.

we were allowed phones until the jury was empaneled (but OP will be excused - if it gets that far).

Have DH take them to work and they can hang out in his office for two hours.

Or bring them with you. You might not be able to take your phone in.