An Alabama mother who was denied exemption for jury duty to breastfeed her baby posted about her experience on social media and sparked outrage across the community, with people calling for a change in the system.
The mom, Kandace Brown, has a three-month-old child who simply will not take from a bottle and has to be breastfed. Her child-rearing plans were thrown into disarray after she received a jury summons and was denied exemption, regardless of her baby's feeding needs.
Mother Denied Excuse From Jury Duty To Breastfeed Baby
In a Facebook post, Brown shared her frustrating experience and explained that her daughter Parker would only eat with her. However, when the mother called the county where she lives and explained her situation to seek an excusal, she was promptly denied. She had no choice but to fulfill her civic duty and take her baby with her to court.
Brown shared that she had a horrible experience at the time, adding that the judge insisted the mothers in attendance should make accommodations for their kids. The judge reportedly threatened to get the Department of Human Resources involved, according to Parents.
The mother was later excused from court, but only for one day, and only after she was told that she was required to return the next day without her baby. When she explained that she had to bring Parker, she was told to pump her breast milk into a bottle for her baby.
Brown angrily responded to the female staff member's comment, saying, "No, ma'am, I cannot pump and get her to take a bottle. How can you tell me how to feed my child?" The mother then used her experience to call for a change to the state's jury duty exemption standards and has since received ample support.
Read more: Child Still Recovering From Brain Injury After Swallowing Expanding Water Beads As A Toddler
Similar Experiences
Others also shared similar experiences they had with the Jefferson County Courthouse, with one Mary Ellen Moore revealing she was publicly humiliated by an unnamed judge in August 2024. At the time, she was forced to serve with her nine-month-old child, who was still breastfeeding, AL reported.
The judge apparently said that he was "disgusted and appalled" that a mother would try and take advantage of her baby to get out of jury service. Another mom, Rebekah Reed, said her husband was forced to take time off work to take care of their son, who was breastfeeding after she was summoned for jury duty for a third time.
The mothers' calls have been rewarded, as an Alabama Supreme Court Ruling found that nursing mothers qualify for an excuse from jury service. The order requires all presiding court judges to ensure that proper procedures are in place to assist eligible individuals, as per ABC3340.
