Jury Duty

[cdinmd206]

Just got my notice. I am on jury duty for the next month. Think I would be challenged by either the defense or prosecuting attorney if I showed up in my leather mini skirt, 44D forms, and with my usual stockings and garter belt under the skirt? I would try to sit lady like!!!!!!

[Allisa]

I believe the notice says appropriate attire. So go with a leather pencil skirt instead.

[Deedee Skyblue]

Please take jury duty seriously. There might be some time in the future when you are on trial in front of a jury, and you are innocent, and you need an intelligent and informed jury to save your ass from jail. You don't want your jury to be a bunch of bored, disinterested idiots who don't really give a damn.

Deedee

[Rachelakld]

I think when it was done here, the Judge thought it was contempt of court, and they spent a few night in the cells with the other male inmates

[Abbygirl]

Ouch. You don't want that. Or maybe you do, I dunno. But I wouldn't.

[Robin777]

I know where I live, it would not go over too well with the jury pool administrator or the judges at the courthouse. I would take a summons for jury duty very seriously. They pick the people that are called for jury duty by age and sex so they have a cross sectional mix to chose from. Dressing will probably get you very noticed if you are put in a jury pool and a trip before the judge depending on how conservative the judge is.I would not do it.

[Kate Simmons]

I agree with Deedee. Do your civic duty, no funny business and get it over with.:)

[Desirae]

Maybe nothing over the top in terms of attire, but you certainly have the right to dress as you desire (enfemme) and if that's not good enough for them, too bad. You should wear something respectful, just like other ladies would wear for this occasion.

[Jaylyn]

I don't think I would mess with the judges, or gamble on them taking it one way or the other..... But now if you are trying to make a statement go for it.... I'll chip in ten dollars for your bail now if we can get the rest on here to do the same. By the way I love your avatar..... Hot hot hot..

[bimini1]

Well, you could go down there like that if you are trying to get out of the duty.

[Sara Jessica]

...leather mini skirt, 44D forms, and with my usual stockings and garter belt under the skirt?...

Yes, because we know these things does a good juror make.

:eek:

If presenting as a female is part of your innate being rather than something you do, then take it seriously and attend jury duty as the woman you are. But the way you are coming across, the best advise is to leave these fetishistic trappings at home.

[alwayshave]

I have sat through voir dire in any number of courts and have seen jurors excoriated for their dress by the presiding judge. In one case the juror was held over night in the lock up associated with the court for having a don't snitch T-shirt on. While some counties in Maryland can be pretty liberal, don't count on it.

[5150 Girl]

Well, the described outfit sounds like something a prostitute would do. That would even get a GG in trouble!
I think in my case as someone who is close to full time, I could most likely get away with it. You know, if one walked in is a skirt suit, or even nice slacks, that would be one thing. I also have an androgynous DL photo, and if pressed, I can produce a ton of witnesses to testify that I am legitimately gender dysphoric, and not a "cross dressing fetishist" (that's how a conservative judge would see it) who is simply trying to get out of jury duty.
In other words, it's the difference between between Klinger trying to get out of the Army and Vita Boehm (from "to Wong Foo)

OF course if one was looking to get out of jury duty, there are a lot smarter ways to do it. I think if i were trying to dodge JD, I would wear my metaphorical "raciest" hat. You know put on a real David Duke act.

[Tracii G]

Just go in guy mode or something close to that.
Chances are you won't get picked anyway.
But to come in dressed like a hooker plan on going to jail.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi CD in MD, Be careful what you wish for as that may not end well for you.
Jury Duty is serious business and not to be taken lightly, It's your civic duty.
It sounds like you are trying to get out of serving.

[noeleena]

Hi.

And what is your name on your birth cert's , you need to remember who you are and don't try and impersonate some one else. in a court case.

...noeleena...

[CrossJess]

Please take jury duty seriously. There might be some time in the future when you are on trial in front of a jury, and you are innocent, and you need an intelligent and informed jury to save your ass from jail. You don't want your jury to be a bunch of bored, disinterested idiots who don't really give a damn.

Deedee

Isn't that who have of them are anyway?, I did this service a few years ago and half of them just wanted to go home, I think it's a stupid idea that they should ask the general public half of them couldn't give a toss, I can only imagine those poor people who innocently went to jail over bad jury decisions

[5150 Girl]

I'm now reminded of the movie "12 angry men". An old black and white movie about a jury that was about to just call the kid guilty because he was "from the wrong side of the tracks" so they could go about their business....

[cdterri]

I think she was just joking!

[DonnaT]

Of course she was.

However, Gov. O'Malley signed legislation making Maryland one of a handful of states to extend anti-discrimination laws to protect transgender people.

That means, one would have to dress throughout the trial. No switching back and forth between representing ones self as a man or a woman.

[Mollyanne]

If in fact you are kidding a mini with cfm heels and a tight top would REALLY get some attention but on a more serious note go in drab but you can always underdress(stay-ups, panties and maybe a bra) but I wouldn't do the bra, the straps would be noticeable.

Molly

[Teresa]

Just to feel good maybe you could under dress ! You may have some interesting explaining to do when your bra and garter belt set off the metal scanners !!

[Beverley Sims]

Show up en femme if you don't want to do duty.

Otherwise be a guy and don't get contempt of court against you. :)

[Eryn]

I wouldn't annoy a person who, at a whim, can make your life miserable. It's not worth it. Go with the flow.

Living in SoCal and being legal I've been called more often than most. I've spent a lot of time in jury rooms and empanelments, but I've never sat on a jury. In voir dire as soon as they find out that I'm an engineer I'm rejected. Lawyers have more confidence in their ability to sway an uninformed jury than they do in the facts of their case so they turn justice into a game.

[Deedee Skyblue]

I can only imagine those poor people who innocently went to jail over bad jury decisions

That's exactly WHY intelligent, informed and caring people should take jury duty seriously instead of blowing it off. You can't solve the problem of poor juries by saying 'it's a stupid idea'.

Deedee

[Eryn]

The problem is that lawyers don't want "intelligent, informed" people on their juries. They want people who think the National Enquirer is a legitimate source of information.

It's difficult to take it seriously when judges, lawyers, and law enforcement people are all routinely exempted from duty. No, they're not likely to be picked for a jury, but they should at least have to suffer being in the corral with the riff-raff.

[Katey888]

This is (partly) what I love about this place... one learns so much and gets opinions thrown in for good measure... :)

Yes I believe Danielle was being somewhat sardonic in her OP - one doesn't mess with the law, not on home turf! But it has thrown up some interesting points for me...

The right to present as you feel you should, not just for the hell of it - but if those amongst us here who do spend the majority of their time presenting as female get called, they should have the right to serve in that way, respectfully attired, of course - no doubt! But I can imagine that what Eryn has said is also true... It would be a big flag for some lawyers to reject that individual as a juror... Unfair and bigoted, but likely (unless they perceived some benefit of having a TG individual on the jury).

The other interesting bit for me is the concept of 'voir dire' in the New and Old World (or at least US and UK). In the US (as we know from great films like 'Time to Kill' - thank you again, Mr Grisham..) jurors are selected from a pool - lawyers get an opportunity to select who they think will be the most sympathetic to their case.. so the end result is a nominally balanced but split jury, with equal numbers of a bias towards each camp... perhaps a recipe for disaster and too many hung or majority decisions? In the UK, 'voir dire' is only used where a juror would be perceived as being unfit for duty (a close association to the defendant, for example) and this unfitness would be examined by the judge before a replacement juror was called - otherwise, you just get 12 random citizens. :)

Just interesting, I thought...

Danielle - you should definitely do your civic duty if you can (I'm sure you intend to...) and present appropriately... :)

For some reason the expression "Here come de judge.." and images from Rowan & Martin keeps coming to my fore brain...

Katey x

[Donnagirl]

And after all is said and done, what is the role today's jury?

To decide which party bought the best lawyer!!!!

[Shelly Preston]

First thing is to remember why you are there.

Secondly if you normally presents as a female. I would then suggest you dress as if you were attending a job interview to work in an office.

Be prepared to explain to the judge if asked you are a member of the transgendered community and that you take your public duty seriously.

Also you have no idea how long this will last either. It could be a day or a week or two.

[cdinmd206]

Wow - I had no idea the post it would get such a mixed reaction. It was meant to be humorous and nothing else. I apologize to those I offended. I take my civic duty to serve on a jury very serious and part of being on a jury is to dress appropriately. I do not dress full time so it would be inappropriate for me to present anything other than my male side.