Nursing mothers in New Jersey would be exempt from jury duty in the state under a bill being heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee later Thursday.
Under current law, exemptions from jury duty are only authorized for people who are 75 years of age or older; who have served on a jury within the previous three years; or who will suffer severe hardship due to circumstances that are unlikely to change within a year (e.g. medical conditions, care of another or financial hardship), members of volunteer fire departments and first aid or rescue squads and, under certain circumstances, teachers.
According to the text of this bill, mothers who are nursing will be able to claim an exemption from jury duty during the first year of their child’s life.
The bill, which passed a similar hearing last session but failed to make it to the floor for a full vote, must also be approved by the full Senate and Assembly.
I was under the impression that if a parent is the primary caregiver of an underage child they are exempt anyway. Why does this bill address nursing mothers as a separate entity from that? I would think a nursing mother would be included in the already existing rules…
What really happens if you ignore jury duty??
A woman with a child is exempt already until their 18.