Posted On:
February 25, 2008
Breast Feeding Mothers Jury Exemption
The Maryland Daily Record had a quick blurb about a bill introduced by Maryland State Senator Nancy Jacobs, a Republican from Hartford County, exempting nursing mothers from jury duty. Senator Jacobs claims that she knows of many instances in her district where breast feeding mothers were required to serve on juries.
Judges are quick to ignore a lot of excuses for serving on jury duty. But I don't think I have ever been in front of a judge who I think would not excuse a breast feeding mother.
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Comments
Yes - Maryland breastfeeding mothers have DEFINITELY been denied jury duty exemptions. Another issue is women who are the full time, primary caregivers for young children not being exempt due to childcare availability and cost.
One Baltimore City woman who was not excused when her baby was only a few months old (and she is a full time mother to three children only one of which is school aged) indicated she'd need to use her breast pump to prevent engorgement. The court said they would provide her with a "pumping room" but that she could only pump once that day -during the lunch break (not enough for a mom of such a young baby who normally nurses regularly throughout the day).
The mom went to court and the room they provided her was the employee lunch room. People were streaming in and out and it wasn't even clean.
Another woman in Maryland is currently facing a fine or jail time for not showing up after not getting an excusal and she was willing to serve - just wanted to delay until summertime when the baby would be older and grandma would be off work to babysit. In her county, you have to be on call for a full 2 weeks for duty.
-Barbara Stratton
Posted by: Barbara Stratton | February 27, 2008 11:43 AM