<p>"Carmela Khury, a stay-at-home mom in Rochester Hills, was juggling child care and a jury summons.</p>
<p>When she was late the second day of jury selection because her mother was undergoing oral surgery, a backup nanny fell through and her husband was already at work, she called Oakland County Circuit Court. Told the judge would arrest her if she didn’t show up, she arrived at court late along with her 8-month-old and 3-year-old.</p>
<p>Circuit Judge Leo Bowman found her in contempt, ordered her to sit as a spectator for the expected two-week-long murder trial and sentenced her to 24 hours in the county jail, to be served after the trial…"</p>
<p>She’s not the sole caretaker, because she has a husband who (theoretically) could have stayed home to care for them. It’s still ridiculous, of course.</p>
<p>Years ago, when my Ss were in 3rd grade & K, I went for jury duty and when I explained to the judge that I was a stay-at-home mother of two small boys & that my husband travelled often for work, I was excused from serving not just that time, but for the next 3 years. I guess it really depends on the judge one gets!</p>
<p>Outrageous. This judge needs to be punished in some way, not simply reprimanded. There are way too many judges who think they can act any way they like, and behave like petty tyrants towards anyone in their courtroom, whether it’s parties, attorneys, or potential jurors.</p>
<p>In Los Angeles County you can get an exemption if you have small kids at home, even if you have a spouse, as long as you are the responsible/sole caretaker. I never served until my kids were in late high school. I think this woman has recourse and needs a lawyer.</p>
<p>In NH, I believe that you deal with a clerk, not a judge and you deal with this some time before your actual jury duty. My understanding is that they are fairly reasonable if you’re the primary caretaker, even if you have a job as you may have to drive kids to and from school and daycare and those things happen during the court sessions. I drive my daughter to her college courses so we’d be in rough shape if I were called for jury duty. I’ve never done jury duty in my life - only got called once and that was after I moved out of that state. If I were called, I’d probably ask that it be rescheduled to when school wasn’t in session. Or move to another state. For a month or two.</p>
<p>I think the judge was outrageous. When he saw her with the kids he should have sent her home, and marked her service as complete. </p>
<p>I was told by the assignment clerk of one of the previous counties that I resided in that because I had a job, the fact that I needed to drive my child to and from school was not considered an exemption, and that I must serve. What I was told was that I could postpone my service to another time that would be more convenient. I went during the summer, and alternate arrangements could be made, although it was far from convenient. I was there on the reassigned day for three hours, and the two potential cases were rescheduled, so we all got to go home, and received credit for our service. I even received my check for $5. I think it was rotten anyway. Even if all mothers/primary caretakers of young children were exempt from service, there are plenty of other adults that are available.</p>
<p>I just got my second summons in the past 4 months! It’s the third in the last 18 months. I don’t know why I’ve suddenly gotten so lucky. Probably revenge for all the childcare exemptions I claimed when the kids were younger.</p>
<p>I was a stay at home mom, with two young children and was 6 months pregnant with the third. I don’t remember why my H couldn’t get off work - perhaps no vacation left - and my sister had to take a day off without pay to baby sit. I asked for an exemption, in part because I had to use the bathroom so frequently, and in part because my sister couldn’t afford the day off. I was refused. The case I was put on lasted well into the night - several self employed people on the jury who didn’t want to have to take another day without pay. It was awful. Embarrassing for me to have the judge stop us for potty breaks so often. Stupid case, too.</p>
<p>Got my second summons in the mail within a week of coming home from Germany. Actual court date was the day after the moving van delivered the stuff. No exemption that time, either, but they had filled the jury before they got to me, for which I was very grateful.</p>
<p>Let me get this straight…A mom will be jailed b/c she tried to help the court system but it wasn’t sufficient. Who will take care of her children then?</p>
<p>“In NH, I believe that you deal with a clerk, not a judge and you deal with this some time before your actual jury duty.”</p>
<p>This is the system in CT as well … it doesn’t work any better. DD was called for jury duty. Clerk insisted she appear even though she was five hours away at school … first week of December. I pointed out that if she was chosen for duty she’d miss Finals. “Well, I guess she’ll just have to miss Finals then.”</p>