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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be worried about doing jury duty?

20 replies

carovioletfizz · 15/12/2012 13:00

I am a sahm to my two pre schoolers - been called for jury duty - I have no alternative arrangements, can I get out of it? It looks like I can if I have a job but says nothing about being exempt if you are looking after children, can anyone advise?

OP posts:
IneedAsockamnesty · 15/12/2012 13:02

You pay for a baby sitter then claim the money back.

Original poster
carovioletfizz · 15/12/2012 13:05

oh no really?ds is still pretty full on breastfed and would be really unhappy lef with a stranger....

OP posts:
IneedAsockamnesty · 15/12/2012 13:07

How old is he? If he's under 1 you should be able to not do it.

loopylou6 · 15/12/2012 13:09

Just write to them and say your child is exclusively breast fed, you will deffo be excused.

Lonecatwithkitten · 15/12/2012 13:09

You can defer in this situation. There are only certain jobs that can get out of jury duty others can only defer.

Original poster
carovioletfizz · 15/12/2012 13:09

He's just turned 1....

OP posts:
samithesausage · 15/12/2012 13:18

They don't like mental illness either, so if you are on anti depressants... You can mention it and that your thought processes are clouded up and your judgement is impared at the moment Grin. (I mentioned my "mental illness" and I think I have been excused permanantly!)

samithesausage · 15/12/2012 13:29

Just to clarify I didn't make up a mental illness, I have a diagnosis, its just I don't like the label "mental illness" so I tend to quote it.

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/12/2012 13:29

I think you can write to them and have it postponed. A girl I know did this when she was called to do jury service in the middle of university exams.

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 15/12/2012 13:31

I'm doing it in January and am dreading it Sad

I was called in October but defered it because I haven't been well you can defer once they defered me till dec but my dr wrote to them and said I wasn't well enough to do it so they sent a letter saying I have to do it in Jan, I'm still going through loads of tests and hospital appointments and feel ill, I'm doing reduced hours at work and everytime I think about doing jury service I burst into tears so no YANBU

bradywasmyfavouritewiseman · 15/12/2012 13:32

You can't get put of it. But you may be able to get it deferred.

IneedAsockamnesty · 15/12/2012 13:32

Or of they make you do it just know all the defendants

Actually that's a joke. But do write and phone them and tell them you are ebf and throw in possible pnd if that's the case, it is my understanding that you can be excused if your child is under 1. And you should be excused for the whole 12 months of what would be maternity leave not deferred.

That's what they did with me.

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/12/2012 13:35

smiling what is it about jury service that is worrying you so much? Not being judgemental,just curious.

MegaClutterSlut · 15/12/2012 13:37

I got deferred as I had no childcare and the court was over 39 miles away and I don't drive.

ladydepp · 15/12/2012 13:43

I was a Sahm when I was asked to do jury service last time. I wrote to them and told them I was looking after children at home and they took me off. They didn't defer it, just removed me from that list. I haven't been asked again since. Don't worry, you won't have to do it. Just give the ages of your children and carry on as normal!

SantasLittleControlGeek · 15/12/2012 13:45

You should be able to get it deferred for 12 months, but be aware you can only have one deferral.

To the OP and smilingthroughgrittedteeth I was like you, absolutely petrified of having to do jury service when I was called up earlier this year. I considered trying to get it deferred but knew that would just postpone my anxiety and I'd have longer to stew on it. Looking back, I have to say how very well organised it was, and a lot of my worries weren't realised. The likelihood of you being used every day is very small, and the chances of you having to go back for week 2 are miniscule. The cases I was on were unpleasant, but not impossible to cope with. I found one of the other jury members the most difficult to deal with out of the whole process. He was a very opinionated person and I think the end result may have been different and more satisfying had he not been on the jury.

Now that it is over, I am pleased to have been part of the process. That doesn't mean I want to do it again, mind, but I just want to try to put your mind at ease from the perspective of someone who was terrified, but got through it.

SantasLittleControlGeek · 15/12/2012 13:46

Meant to add - there were SAHMs on my jury panel, claiming the childcare (and other associated costs) was very easy and straight forward and it does come through within a couple of weeks.

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 15/12/2012 13:47

Alisvolat its not doing Jury service as such its the fact I've been ill for the last 6mths, im in the process of being diagnosed with possible endometriosis and ME, I'm exhausted all the time, dizzy, sick and in pain.

I had 8 weeks off work sick and have only been able to go back to work on very reduces hours, the thought of being on Jury duty at the moment instead of somewhere familiar is just a bit to much, I don't want to be excused from it I just want to be defered for longer than a month at a time, they have had a letter from the dr but still only defered me by a month because in their words ' I should be recovered by then' she actually said that on the phone when I begged to be defered to the end of the year, its added stress I don't need right now

Babyroobs · 15/12/2012 13:47

You can get out of it if you have young children . I got called up a few years ago and just rung them to say it would be virtually impossible to do it . They were very understanding.

x2boys · 15/12/2012 15:24

my mum and dad have both been called for dury service neither of them actually got to sit on a dury and both were diasmissed after about three days

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