A Carroll County mother faces a possible $150 fine or jail time on Tuesday for failing to show up for jury duty in October because she was breast-feeding her infant son.
Elizabeth Jett of Eldersburg said she tried to get out of jury service until next summer, but Carroll County court officials would not extend the time.
Then she was held in contempt by Judge Barry Hughes in January.
Carroll County Jury Commissioner Corinda Manuel disputes parts of Jett?s account of the case, but ultimately said she had no discretion to extend Jett?s service beyond January, as she requested. “I don?t make the laws, I just follow them,” Manuel said.
That?s why Sen. Nancy Jacobs has again introduced legislation to exempt a mother breast-feeding a child under the age of 2 from jury duty. Senate Judicial Committee Proceedings Chairman Brian Frosh has also written to Chief Judge Robert Bell of the Court of Appeals. Frosh asked him to take action “to ensure that the statewide policy for excusal from jury service is family-friendly.”
“As you know,” Frosh told Bell, “there?s strong sentiment in the General Assembly in favor of requiring exemption from jury service for nursing mothers such as Ms. Jett.”
“I really hope we don?t have to get in the business of passing laws for every excuse you may have for jury duty,” Frosh said.
Bell told The Examiner, “There?s not a whole lot we can [do] at this point” for Jett, since there is already a court judgment. But he said he is referring the matter to the Council on Jury Use and Management.
Calling the situation “a gigantic misunderstanding,” Frosh said, “I don?t know who?s to blame.”
Jett said they she wrote a letter asking for postponement of service. “I don?t have the money to pay for child care,” Jett said. She is a former teacher and stay-at-home mother with a 5-year-old son, Julian, and an infant son, Henry. Then in January, she was called in to “talk” to the judge, but found herself at a hearing at which Hughes held her in contempt.
Manuel said Jett had not responded to the initial letters about jury duty, and after having her written request denied, did not show up for duty Oct. 9.
At that point, Jett called and sought to be excused that day, but her request was denied.
“I do not excuse liberally,” Manuel said. She said Jett was offered dates in January, but the woman said that was not enough time to find day care. Then she was held in contempt of court.
