Should I ask to be excused from jury service while 19-20 weeks pregnant?

[NectarineSpring]

I've deferred my jury service once earlier this year, and have now found out i'm pregnant (first time). I'll be around 19-20 weeks when my jury service is supposed to be. I'm keen to do it and will be able to work-wise. I just don't know how it'll be, what if I need to pee every 30 minutes?! My 20 week scan might also be scheduled during the second week of jury service. Should I ask to be excused? Any advice appreciated!

Much better to do it now at around 20 weeks then with a young baby or child.

People are all different. Some don't notice they're pregnant until they're in labour. Some have awful sickness. You (presumably) don't yet have any problems, otherwise you'd have mentioned it, so no need to cancel. Obviously, as with everyone else, if you became too sick to do it, you'd have to say at the time. As for toilet issues, more people have problems after surgery than during pregnancy, people do jobs like teaching where they often have to do without toilet breaks, so I'm told, most of the day.

I did it in my 3rd trimester and didn’t need to pee every 30mins 🤣 Sitting got a tad uncomfortable and they gave me a pillow but I was lucky not to have a lot of pain in general. It was better than being at work in that stage of pregnancy tbh

Well, you can tell it’s your first. Of course you should be able to do it (pending no complications). But if it’s due to be a very long trial they may not select you

Congratulations OP!

Every pregnancy is different - I suffered awful sickness the whole way through but had a window of actually feeling relatively good in the second trimester. I would definitely let them know you’re pregnant and if you can and WANT to do it then just play it by ear. I’m told they have have people on standby anyway in case a particular juror can’t do the case / is unwell etc

As others have said you don’t want to end up having to do it with a young child / toddler - far more faff. Most people don’t start needing to pee every 5 mins until baby is much bigger and presser on their bladder.

be aware as pp have said that some cases are awful and difficult emotionally to manage but I’ve been told yoj can chose to defer ! All the best with baba

If you deferred once I don’t think you can defer a second time.

I think your best option would be to contact the people who organise it and ask them.

You can definitely be excused if you are going to the toilet a lot, they don't want you disrupting the trial. My dad was excused because of water tablets he was on for that reason and he wasn't even asking to be excused he was calling about parking and he explained about swollen leg/tablet and they basically told him they didn't want him!

No need to be so patronising towards the OP.

I did jury service when I was about 4-5months pregnant with my first.
i made it clear in the paperwork, especially when they ask you if there is a reason why you can’t go on a long trial! I was chosen for a trial that only latest 3 days so was very manageable

I'd do it and get it over with. It will only get harder to juggle it when you have a baby. I don't think the need to wee is that bad at 19-20 weeks personally, and sitting for long period of time like you'll have to in court only got really uncomfortable for me in the third trimester.

A woman 7 months pregnant has just been on the Clancy jury.

Yes this. Probably best to do it but be clear about your pregnancy. It pretty much guarantees you'll only get a short case if needed at all.

The problem with deferring is you are put back in to be drawn again and it's going to be a pain for quite a few years with a small child.

You call a number the night before and may well not have to go at all.

That would be discrimination against a protected characteristic, surely?

I'd make sure all the same. i wouldn'twant to miss out on enhanced mat pay because i was on jury service

I was called for jury service when 19 weeks pregnant and we were told it was likely to be a long case (murder), so if we were selected and this would cause us problems we should approach the judge. I was the 12thjuror selected and I went up to the judge and said I have my 20 week scan booked next week, he said, we can work around that, and the court didn’t sit on the morning I had my scan.

The trial lasted 4 weeks.

it was an upsetting case as the victim was a child, but the judge didn’t feel me being pregnant was a reason to excuse me.

we were all excused from jury service for 10 years after the trial, as it was very emotional (even if you weren’t pregnant).

I wish I hadn’t been there but I have done jury duty twice in my life and I am a firm believer in the principle. It should be taken seriously and is a responsibility that shouldn’t be shirked.

Who gets told they have to do jury service when they have a small baby? I was excused when I said I was EBF our 4 month old.

Do it. Becuse you’re pregnant they won’t put you on any trial that has any chance of going over 2-3 weeks

Why did you defer the first time ?

My god. I hope she gets some psychological support afterwards