Video: Woman held in contempt for being late and bringing kids to jury duty.

[Jojo]

http://abcnews.go.com/meta/search/imageDetail?format=plain&source=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2Fimages%2FUS%2 Fabc_mom_punished_100305

This is so ridiculous!! This mom was held in contempt because she brought her kids to jury duty even though she had no one to watch them and kept telling the person on the phone what the problem was!

[Bootysaurus]

I just wouldn't have gone. Screw them. Please. Jury duty is one of the lamest things ever. Why SHOULD people want to spend their time for ten bucks a day? Their job doesn't pay them and right now, times suck. I know my job got all stupid when I had to do jury duty...AS IF I HAD A CHOICE! The whole system is ****ed up. I don't think mothers to children not in school should have to show up....what if she's picked on a jury? Then she has to waste a month or whatever away from her kids? Do you THINK she's going to give a RATS ASS about the criminal's fate? Please! It really is messed up. Jury duty SHOULD not cause a person to lose wages. It SHOULD not make SAHMs to leave their children. It SHOULD not make people bitter and angry cause I know plenty of people who would just say whatever the other jurists say just to go home.

They should have professional jurists.

:rant: Jury Duty (the system it is now) is a huge issue for me.

[lilbunnygirl]

I can't watch the video right now, how old are the kids?. Here in FL if you have non-school age kids and don't work full time, you are exempt from jury duty. I am double exempt now because of that & being pregnant!

[Bootysaurus]

I got called to Jury Duty when I was 9 months pregnant (2 weeks before EDD). There was no way in hell I was going to waddle down to the court house to sit in a hard chair for 8 hours.

I called to tell them and the lady was SO RUDE, saying it was not an excuse, etc...

I just didn't go. What the hell? I tried to reschedule, but...i never heard back from them. However, we did move. :hehe: Oh well!

My mom has been called ONCE since turning 18. I have been called SEVEN times and I'm 34 and she's 63. WTF?! I'm over it.

[lilbunnygirl]

I know in Seattle only 20% of people show up for Jury Duty, they told my ex when he went that since 80% of people ignore the summons, they don't bother trying to track them down.

[Bootysaurus]

Yea. I'm sure by "ignore" they mean "need to stay at work to get paid money for their rent and food and necessities." I don't know too many people who say, "Sure! I'll forfeit my normal pay for 10 bucks a day!" Honestly. And as a teacher, I wouldn't want my children to be with a sub for a week or whatever...how can I be accountable for their learning if I'm not in the classroom? I'm sure other people feel that way too...they have a job to do. Deadlines don't care about Jury Duty.

[Jojo]

I can't watch the video right now, how old are the kids?. Here in FL if you have non-school age kids and don't work full time, you are exempt from jury duty. I am double exempt now because of that & being pregnant!

I think a year and 3 years old.

I was called to jury duty about 2 days after giving birth :lol: No joke. My husband was freaking out. I looked at him and was like "do you really think I'm going to go?!"

he gets very "scared" with the system. There were times I've ignored those papers. What? I didn't get anything :idontknow:

[Bootysaurus]

Yea, they aren't sent certified ;)

[bettercowpatty]

I got called for jury duty when I was studying for the MD bar. I just called and rescheduled. It was totally not a big deal. I mean, what if you had paid for a vacation or something already? Just tell them that if you don't have a better excuse, or, if you show up, you can always say you have a bias against cops/white people/black people/landlords/women/men, etc. - whatever the case is about. They will not pick you.

Having said that, I really think jury duty is important, though its a pain. I mean, if I were on trial for a crime, I would want people to come and hear my case, and having a large jury pool means you have a better chance of having a jury of your peers.

[Bootysaurus]

Yes, but sometimes, it's not a jury of their peers. When a psychopath is on trial, they don't have 12 psychopaths sitting in the jury box :hehe:

I am all for professional jury people.