Is b/f a valid reason to not do jury service?

[pie]

Not a debate, just curious if you can be exempt from it if you are called and are b/f a small baby?

Anyone know?

My mum was allowed to be exempt when she was called up because she was b/f my sister. This was about 20 years ago not though so don't know if the rules have changed or not.

The court has a discretionary power to release a person from jury service or defer a person jury service until a later date. I would have thought that breastfeeding would be an unquestionable reason not to attend.

I don't know but it sounds likely to be. If not then we should start a campaign

I'm sure you can. I was called when ds was small and I just said I had nobody else to look after him - which I didn't. It was fine.

I would have thought breastfeeding was a valid reason. I was called whilst I was pregnant and was excused. My mum was called when I was little and wasn't excused on the grounds no-one else could look after me (she wasn't breastfeeding thoug) as they offered to provide childcare. However she was excused when she found the date clasehed with a holiday already booked and paid for.

Take the baby with you!! Don't use B/F as an excuse, like you are ashamed of it as something that can't be seen to be done in public. If the rest of the court don't like the interruption that's their problem, but I would just pitch up at the court with my baby as if it were the most natural thing in the world. And then sit back and watch them squirm. (Look Pops, I started a sentence with but!!)

I mean 'and' (sorry, too much wine)

norma - i don't mind how peole punctuate etc etc on computers and txts
it's just proper writing that does it for me

I know EXACTLY what you mean Pops as it irritates the hell out of me too. I blame it on Mr. Jefferson who was the bestest, funniest English teacher in the whole wide world. He used to spank us though if we didn't punctuate properly and I've never forgotten him.

norma I wouldn't think that taking any child for anything, feeding or otherwise, would be appropriate for a court.

meant to add that its not an embarrassed to feed in public issue, she says pumping infront of the computer.

Pie, I certainly wouldn't suggest taking a child into a court, or even an older breastfeeding baby who could drink from a cup and who is probably on solids anyay. But your question involved a small baby. Small breastfeeding babies are tied to their mothers and I would not question that as an excuse to be exempt from jury service.My baby, when I was breastfeeding, was an extension of me and was nourished entirely by me. She would be just fine in any court so long as I could tuck her under my top. If others in the court were offended, or felt that I was not able to concentrate properly on the proceedings, then I would leave if they wanted me to. My brain has not, however, ever been affected by breastfeding.

I suppose Pie, thinking about it again, that public funds might be at stake if proceedings were held up because of one bolshy militant mum with big boobs. So maybe, in the interests of the public purse, it might be wiser to stay at home.

look, the reason I asked is because someone I know in America has been told that b/f is NOT a valid 'excuse' that she could just pump and leave baby. Which I thought was terrible, so I wondered if anyone had got out of jury service here for b/f.

I didn't think it was about being offended or having a baby brain, but that a trial esp one where there is a violent crime is a suitable place for a feeding chair.

Personally speaking if I were on trail I would want my jury to be giving me their full attention, not feeding a baby or have any other of the factors that go with exemption praying on their mind.

NOT a suitable place I mean

Oh God. I would go to court myself if anyone told me to pump and leave baby. As if that were acceptable!! You've got me all militant again now !!

I was called for jury service when my ds was 3 weeks old (when letter was received) and I replied that I would prefer to be excused as a) I was breastfeeding a very small baby and that b) I was looking after a 3 and a half year old at home on my own. I received a reply that I was excused at this time but may be called upon in the future.

I would have been interested to attend for many reasons but these couple of years I know I have to by-pass many opportunities/ experiences. All for the privilege of being able to stay at home and be with my babes. This is a precious time and I'm striving to get over the hard bits and enjoy it all as I know I'll look back longingly.

Feeling v sentimental tonight, ds turned 1 today. Dh not as affected as me (hardly noticed I think, mind you he's been at work all day).These few weeks have been hard; pre-schooler who was ready to start Sept but has to wait til Easter, oh she's sooooo ready. Therefore - not sure I can convince him that we should have a third babe........ooohhh

There is a difference between breastfeeding and feeding breast milk. Shame on the American court for not knowing the difference.

message withdrawn

I would be well hacked off if I was being tried and someone brought a baby in. sorry. Time and place and all . You will be excused - am positive.

Incoherant rant follows-typing one handed-guess why !

I actually think the problem lies with the set up of the court. I've never done jury service. But is there really no way that it could be set up so that a breastfeeding mother could attend?

Children and their parents are as much a part of society as old public schoolboys (and the odd public school girl) in wigs. Being a parent should not be a bar to jury service IF they want to. Solving the problem might just require a bit of creativity. Eg-if a child might cry suddenly, let the parent sit in a room outside with a video link.

I think there is a wider problem here-unecessarily excluding children from public life. IMO one of the real problems new mothers face is the fact that children are not welcome in many places-often because people fear they will be noisy or difficult when they are not going to be. This vastly reduces the places that new mothers can go out to, and I think it is one of the real causes of isolation and PND.

Barring children from the court it also stops a lot of mothers (and some fathers) of young children from attending as well. My 12 week old son comes everywhere with me at present, including to class each day. Causes no trouble at all-the tutors have even said he "humanises" the class.

IMO courts are yet another institution thats set up for those without caring responsibilities. It is generally women who care for others (whether children, older relatives, etc). To stop a woman from attending because she is breastfeeding (or to give her the choice between breastfeeding and breastmilk feeding, ie pumping-if she can do this which some of us can't) seems to me to prevent breastfeeding mothers from participating fully in the democratic process. Of course a lot of b/f mothers would not want to do jury duty-I am just saying that they should not be prevented from doing it.

OF COURSE some court cases are not suitable for children and some children at some ages just could not sit still for any length of time. And some of our heads get a bit addled by b/f. But from what friends have said who have done jury service-the intellectual capacity of at least some jurors is pretty worrying. My friend sat on one case where the jurors convicted in order to finish quickly, and another where they convicted because (it seemed) they just didn't like the person.

Rant over...perhaps ...

You are mad. Imagine you were on trial for mureder and some baby was howling - video link or not.

Ther is a time and place for everything and court and babies do not mix.

message withdrawn

I agree that children should be widely accepted in society but there are surely some places where it will always be strange to take a child or baby, for hugely different reasons and I don't see a problem with children being 'excluded' from these areas. Some of these (as I see) are courts, building sites, morgues, and inside prisons (ie not just visiting). It's unavoidable that some places just aren't suitable for babies/children. A court isn't because you need to completely concentrate on the business in hand and children don't let you do that.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing twiglett, my jury is out on this one . I genuinely don't know enough about how jurys work in practice. I'm not advocating any course of action, just saying that the reason for excluding b/f women is historic and based more on sexism and the incompatibility of children with old institutions than logic. If logic and tradition are compatible then fine,

I do agree re divided attention, actually-after all you would not expect (or allow) a self-employed accountant to work while hearing a trial.

I studied law, lets not forget this is the same law, presided over by the same sombre court, that refused to convict for rape within marriage til 1991, and which strongly resisted women entering it. Its only relatively recently that women could be jurors.

I DO know I have been led to believe there are many places I couldn't take my son-but when I turn up with him, people are delighted he is there and very accomodating. I would never, even before he was born, have minded a child being present anywhere so long as it was not detrimental to them-they are a part of society as much as anyone else. Simply being young should not prevent you taking part in society. Maybe this is an area in which we disagree.

BTW codswallop you are right, i am quite mad. (But not entirely mad, my madness is on the median). thanks for your input.

REPEAT: NOT ADVOCATING BABY AT MURDER TRIAL!