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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that DH is selfish over my jury service?

470 replies

SeekChase · 23/03/2023 08:14

Hi Ladies...
So, around 2 months ago I was sent a Jury Summons. As I am a mum to 2 small (1&4) children, and with the Jury Service being set for first week or half term ( no preschool), I tried to get out of it, but to no avail. I do understand that they always invite a surplus of potential Jury candidates and there is a chance of getting out on the day...
However, I did give my DH plenty of notice (he is a roofer) and asked that he takes that week to 10 days off to look after the kids (I am normally the stay at home mum) - while I do the Jury Service IF I can't get out of it.

HE AGREED.
Well, last night, bearing in mind I have a week or so before the Jury service starts, he told me he wants to work and its tough. He said I'll have to not go. I said I can get fined £1000 for not showing up, he said "yes it's stupid isn't it" - but won't budge.
I have family but they are actually going away on a prearranged holiday, my DH said they will have to cancel and its not his problem. I am fuming. AIBU?

OP posts:
sanityisamyth · 23/03/2023 10:14

There was a thread recently where someone didn't turn up to do their jury service and the police turned up at their door.

Your DH is a twat. You HAVE to do the jury service and they WILL fine you if you don't turn up. He needs to parent his own children and deal with it. If not, I wouldn't be staying with him if I were you.

CleaningOutMyCloset · 23/03/2023 10:15

Wow what an arsehole

This isn't to do with deferring or childcare or money, it's about the OP's DH dropping her right in the shit for no other reason, apart from the fact he can't be arsed to look after his own children. It had all been agreed upfront with him, but now it's getting closer and he's pulled the tug with no thought or consideration to how this impacts her.

Sorry op, but in your shoes this would be a deal breaker for me. It clearly shows he doesn't value you, doesn't respect or care for you!

sanityisamyth · 23/03/2023 10:15

emmetgirl · 23/03/2023 10:13

Turn up for jury service and tell the judge that your dh has refused to look after his own children. See what s/he says.

They wouldn't be interested.

thenightsky · 23/03/2023 10:15

TheMatriarchy · 23/03/2023 09:32

Explain to the court you are in a domestic abuse/coercive control situation with your children's father, and your abuser has withdrawn his consent/support for you to attend at the last minute as he wants you to be fined/cautioned as a means of control.
And then start looking for some help to get out of the situation you are in.

This is the best suggestion so far.

diddl · 23/03/2023 10:16

What is the procedure fore childcare falling through?

ilovesooty · 23/03/2023 10:22

CornishGem1975 · 23/03/2023 09:51

Agree. My DH is self-employed but he couldn't just take 2 weeks off to cover me on jury service. If he did, we wouldn't be able to pya the mortgage or bills.

Surely he's insured for this sort of situation?

HScully · 23/03/2023 10:22

I would tell him he needs to sort the child care. On the mornings that you are on jury service get up early and out of the house before anyone else gets up

veryverytiredmummy · 23/03/2023 10:23

Sorry you're in this situation.

I think you need to ask him why he can't do it. Everyone here is assuming he's a selfish prick. Could it be it that he's scared? Does he have much experience of looking after them?

Obviously if this is part of a pattern of behaviour you're going to have to consider your position.

If it's not then is there time to leave him with the kids on his own for a few hours with you in easy contact? Can you help him plan how he'll spend the days?

I know lots of people will roll their eyes and say women have to work this stuff out but actually having to look after kids for 7-10 days solid having never done it is quite a challenge.

Defer if you can anyway to give yourself time and as I said, if it's a pattern then I think you do need to get your ducks in a row so you can LTB if/when you decide to.

MumOf2workOptions · 23/03/2023 10:28

Contact the court and say you had some childcare organised but it's fallen through and can you be deferred to another time. They always call more than they need.

I was excused when I was breastfeeding (6-7 years ago now) but they were fine but contact them sooner rather than later

TheEliminator · 23/03/2023 10:32

Tell him, if he works and you get fined £1000 then he might as well not have worked 🤷‍♀️ What a knob.

YearsOfStagnation · 23/03/2023 10:32

OP you have to do the jury service. Why is it down to you to sort arrangements out?

If he can’t do it, he sorts the childcare.

I think this is just awful.

But this situation presumably has not arisen overnight. Has he been an involved dad? Had them alone for days regularly to give you a break? Shared their care at weekends?

Anyway, if you don’t go, I wish they would arrest and fine him. Idiot.

Spanielsarepainless · 23/03/2023 10:33

I was due for jury service but about a week before DH had a stroke. I emailed and explained DH couldn't be left alone for a fortnight and got a lovely reply, deferring it indefinitely.

Bergamotte · 23/03/2023 10:33

Rosscameasdoody · 23/03/2023 09:44

Have you RTFT ? Forgive me, but this isn’t some Walt Disney movie. If he’s so disinterested in his family that he’s prepared to see his wife arrested for contempt of court rather than honour the commitment he made to look after his children, then he doesn’t seem the type of dad who will suddenly want to be going on nice family days out or building sofa dens on days the OP is not needed for JS. More likely he’ll be moaning about the time he could have been working and the ‘wasted’ holidays he took, and generally making them feel guilty. Sounds like the bluebird of happiness so clearly spreading joy in your life, is crapping all over the OP’s at the moment.

(Have read all of OP's posts and some, but not all, replies from other posters)

Sorry that I wasn't clear.

I was trying to point out how unreasonable he is being. That he should see that if OP has to do jury duty, this is actually relatively lucky timing. That yes, it's annoying that he has to take leave now and can't spend it going away on holiday (are most people able to spend all their annual leave going "on holiday"? Surely plenty of us have to spend a fair bit of it just based at home, maybe taking the kids out to the park on dry days and finding ways to entertain them when it's pouring rain? Plus using up some precious days (or half days if you can take them) of leave to take kids or self to dentist appointments etc?)

If OP's jury duty had fallen in term time, he would think it even less worthwhile to take the time off. But OP is unlikely to be [guaranteed to] finish each day in time to pick up from preschool. Particularly for a 1 year old. So how would he manage that?

As he has this agreed time off work, a reasonable parent and husband would suck it up and look after his own kids. Yes, moan with OP about jury duty being annoying, but not blame her, not moan in front of the kids making them feel guilty. And not suddenly go back on his word a week before the jury service, deciding that his being allowed to work is more important than the OP's family having their prearranged holiday! Which sounds like multiple people losing out on something they've planned for and paid money for, when this is not their [OP's family's] responsibility at all.

A reasonable parent and husband would hopefully even manage to see the bright side and enjoy at least a tiny bit of the time with his kids. But even if he couldn't, would do his share, as already agreed, for the sake of the family.

A reasonable parent and husband would certainly not say that it would be better for his wife to get a criminal record and deal with all the stress of that, than him just look after his kids, as he had agreed to do, and is still perfectly able to do (time already booked off work).

No, Rosscameasdoody, I don't think OP's husband is likely to suddenly turn into an amazingly capable, fun, willing dad.
I was trying to say how very much I feel that OP is NOT being unreasonable.
That OP's husband is being an unreasonable prat.

And going only from the information in this thread, it sounds like the family might be better off if OP left him. But that is a hard decision to make and doesn't solve the problem of next week's jury service. (It would help with future situations- he can't let you down if you never rely on him again! But that brings it's own difficulties.)

Sorry that you're going through this OP. And I'm very sorry if my clumsy wording made it seem like I was making light of your trouble.

Aargh, and sorry that this post has got so long!

PrettyMaybug · 23/03/2023 10:33

Quite a few people are suggesting that the OP gets up and leaves the house before the husband and the kids get up. I don't know if that's a good idea. From what she says - her husband sounds like such a selfish, clearly narcissistic, self centred arsehole, that I don't think I would trust him with the children.

To be honest with you, he probably would just leave them to look after themselves for the day while he fucks off out. Seriously. I believe he would do that from what I've heard on here from the OP so far.

MidgeHardcastle · 23/03/2023 10:34

Tosser. He'll have a lot more parenting to do when you split up.
I can't see that it's your problem. He's in charge of the children and if he can't take the time off work then he sorts out an alternative arrangement.

Comefromaway · 23/03/2023 10:34

XjustagirlX · 23/03/2023 09:03

@MsWhitworth but this is what I mean. What if both times are genuine valid reasons where you can’t attend. Like the first time you have your wedding booked and the second time is your due date for a baby? What would actually happen?

This happened to me many years ago. I asked to defer due to a very important work commitment (a once a year thing) and in the part where it asked about my future availability I put that I was pregnant. Rather than defer they just excused me full stop.

diddl · 23/03/2023 10:36

they expect the children’s available parent to actually parent them

They might expect it but sadly they can't make it happen.

He sounds a nasty selfish man.

I doubt that he will look for childcare & I'm not sure many would really just leave before him in the morning leaving the kids to his wrath.

GoodChat · 23/03/2023 10:39

MidgeHardcastle · 23/03/2023 10:34

Tosser. He'll have a lot more parenting to do when you split up.
I can't see that it's your problem. He's in charge of the children and if he can't take the time off work then he sorts out an alternative arrangement.

Let's be honest, he probably won't have much more parenting to do when they separate.

nocoolnamesleft · 23/03/2023 10:39
  1. Ring the court 2)Ring a divorce lawyer
Anotherturnipforthebooks · 23/03/2023 10:41

I'm surprised by the number of posters on this thread who don't understand the core concept of jury service.

Allowing any kind of self selection in a jury service just undermines the whole system.

You only need to read a few Mumsnet threads to realise that not all women with young children are the same.

And after having served on a jury, I'm willing to say I would rather be judged by some people who would rather not be there than by some power tripping weirdos - it was clearly the highlight of a decade for a few in my group.

Butchyrestingface · 23/03/2023 10:41

I would be inclined to turn up to court with the kids in tow and tell the court officer word for word what your husband has done at the last minute. They won't want to make your life worse than it already is - and it sounds bad, being married to that.

Be prepared to get leaflets for Women's Aid though.

PrettyMaybug · 23/03/2023 10:44

Agree with @Butchyrestingface Go to the Court with the children @SeekChase and tell them exactly why. Tell them what your husband has done. I really think at this point, that you have no choice to be honest!

OnLockdown · 23/03/2023 10:45

diddl · 23/03/2023 09:23

Hopefully there will be a neighbour or school mum who can help out Op.

I do wonder where they expect you to find childcare though?

Not everyone has someone available!

I don't know what world you live in, but how many people have got neighbours or school mum acquaintances who would look after their 3 and 1 year olds for a week?!

ChocSaltyBalls · 23/03/2023 10:50

What time does he leave for work? If you’re up and out before him he won’t have any choice.

jackstini · 23/03/2023 10:50

Just ran this past DH
Jaw dropped. "They're his f*ing kids! Useless knobhead"

I agree & think you do too!

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