Crossdressing and Jury Duty.

[Patience]

Hey, ladies.

So I got my habitual Jury duty summons for the beginning of the new year and I'm seriously considering going enfemme on my first day at least. I have served in a jury once, but that was a long time ago.

Right now, I'm in the middle of weighing pros and cons, especially if I get selected. I can certainly put appropriate outfits together, but then there's other questions, like the issue of the restrooms, whether I will be required to use my legal name throughout, seeing as it will be a legal procedure or if I may ask to be called a certain name? It's a serious procedure and I want to mind my P's and Q's, no pun intended,

Does anyone have any pointers? Thanks!

[nancy58]

As far as dealing with courts and such, I'd suggest sticking with what's on your legal documentation. Thinking about it, if I were going to show up in court for a summons for "Bob", I would give that name to the clerk of court representative checking me in and answer to it when called. The one time I was seated on a jury, I don't remember anyone calling anyone else by name, but I would use Nancy in communications in the jury room. As far as restrooms go, check your state's laws about bathrooms. Whatever applies in the state laws will probably apply in your courthouse. If it's a U.S. federal court, there is probably no issue. (I am not a lawyer.)

[Laura912]

Jury duty is really a serious responsibility in our system of government despite what movies and political pundits suggest. Play it safe.

[Stephanie47]

Do you think you would be a distraction?

[Patience]

I should hope not. My presentation definitely will hopefully show that's not the effect I am after.


Jury duty is really a serious responsibility in our system of government despite what movies and political pundits suggest. Play it safe.
I am. Hence this thread.

Thank you for your replies.

[chelyann]

i would go as male ( unfortunately ) but lean toward girl, you dont want to you get a total jerk of a judge or lawyer and be called out in front of everybody,

[Jean 103]

I would go with however you dress most of the time.

If you're full time like me then I would say yes. When I present my identification I'm in full makeup so I would look the same.

[docrobbysherry]

This is a easy one, Patience.:)

Want to experience jury to the max? Go as Bob.:thumbsup:

Rather have a root canal than sit around for hours and probably accomplish nothing? Just throw on a dress before u go out the door! They'll send u home rite away!:devil:

[Helen_Highwater]

Is it possible to contact the clerk of the court beforehand and ask what the situation/rules are? That way you should avoid any risk of crossing a line that might see you fall foul of a judge.

[Vickie_CDTV]

They probably have a dress code, and it probably does not allow people who are legally male to wear skirts or dresses (that might have changed in some places, replacing it with a non-gendered dress code that allows skirts or dresses, but I would definitely check if you opt to come dressed.) Even if you wore pants, they may not like it if you wear makeup or a wig (if you wear one) or prosthetic breasts (if you wear them).

If there is a dress code you break and/or you ask to be referred to as a woman when you are legally still male the judge, in theory, could hold you in contempt if he wanted to. That is not something I would ever, ever risk! It might be more bearable if you are dressed, and as far as I am concerned you should be able to dress however you like given they are literally forcing you be there against your will, but I still wouldn't risk any potential legal consequences.

[alwayshave]

Patience, I am going to put my lawyer hat on here and say, don't crossdress. Judges courtrooms are their fiefdom. If you offend them personally, and not everyone accepts CDing, they will tear you up. I have seen judges rip jurors and lawyers a new one over what they have worn to court and I practice in a pretty liberal states. That being said, Helen's advice is on point. Before, arguing before a judge for the first time, I'd ask his/her clerk, where I should stand, how they like to be addressed, how they like to hear objections, etc... and would get advice I would use. So ask the clerk.

[Krisi]

I would go to jury duty as a male. Don't mess with a judge.

[Aunt Kelly]

In a "less enlightened" jurisdiction, it's conceivable that showing up cross-dressed could earn a contempt of court judgement. If you want to make a statement, by all means, go dressed. Just be prepared for the consequences.

[Cheryl T]

Unless you are full time and have ID I wouldn't dress for jury duty. Just my opinion.

[CrossKimmy]

This might get you eliminated rather quickly 🤭

[OrdinaryAverageGuy]

Gotta agree with Doc and CrossKimmy. If you wear a dress you'll likely be perceived as making fun of the process and sent home. Which might be your goal, to which I won't judge.

(See what I did there?) :roflmao:

[TheHiddenMe]

As long as you are properly dressed, go how you want to go.

I live (thankfully) in a progressive state, where LGBT rights are protected. You still have an ID, regardless of how you present. The Supreme Court even ruled in 1989 that sex stereotyping (women have to dress a certain way) was illegal.

If you show up in leggings and a top--like 90% of the women are going to in the potential jury pool--do you think the court is going to object? On what basis?

You are required to show for jury duty. However, you have no legal requirement to dress in accordance with the gender on your ID.

Dress how you wish to dress, as long as it meets the court standards.

[Geena75]

Hopefully a judge wouldn't think you were mocking the court and hold you in contempt!

[abby054]

I hope your taste in fashion runs to shirts and pants with broad horizontal stripes and your taste in jewelry runs to silver colored bracelets and chains because that is what you may get if your judge takes this the wrong way.

[NancySue]

FWIW, I?m with others. Don?t do it. Maybe underdress? Court rooms are not like Law & Order. Much more intense and intimidating. I?ve been there and there?s only one way. The Judge rules.

[chrissy111]

Now I'm not a lawyer but I hope someone could explain to me. If a person is transitioning and living as the opposite sex but has not changed their ID, do they need to pause their way of life so a man in a Robe won't be offended. Just saying I believe some people would stand out more trying to dress for the court, and not the way they look now. So if a crossdresser wants to present as female IMO I think she should go for it.

[JulieC]

You know, a lot of this may very well be up to the judge. But, if you're going to go en femme in some way to jury duty, asking the court beforehand isn't going to be somehow worse than showing up en femme. Ask ahead of time. If they say it's ok, and the judge blows a gasket, you've got more on your side.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Patience :hugs:, See Line #4 in my Signature ,

[Kelli_cd]

I've worn panties to jury duty, but no one is going to notice that anyway. I don't know if I would wear a bra - we have to pass through a metal detector before entering the lobby proper.

[Shelly Preston]

Now I'm not a lawyer but I hope someone could explain to me. If a person is transitioning and living as the opposite sex but has not changed their ID, do they need to pause their way of life so a man in a Robe won't be offended. Just saying I believe some people would stand out more trying to dress for the court, and not the way they look now. So if a crossdresser wants to present as female IMO I think she should go for it.

I think if your are transitioning there should not be an issue. However it would make sense to contact the court first as a matter of being polite. I don't think judges will care as long as you are honest with them.

The last thing you would want is to be held in contempt of court.

[Linda E. Woodworth]

Remember that ALL this advice your getting is worth everything your paying for........

Also, with rare exceptions NOBODY, include myself, is a lawyer.

[Krisi]

Now I'm not a lawyer but I hope someone could explain to me. If a person is transitioning and living as the opposite sex but has not changed their ID, do they need to pause their way of life so a man in a Robe won't be offended. Just saying I believe some people would stand out more trying to dress for the court, and not the way they look now. So if a crossdresser wants to present as female IMO I think she should go for it.

A "man in a robe"? You mean a judge?

Judges have considerable power in their courtrooms and certainly have the power to tell jurors how they may and may not dress. This is reality.

There is nothing to be gained and a lot to lose from messing with a judge.

[GretchenM]

Here in Colorado if the judge were to make an issue of how you dress the judge would likely find themselves at odds with higher judges. That said, I would not want to push the envelope as it is a distraction from what you are there for. On the other hand, if you have transitioned and you are legally recognized as a woman nothing is likely to be said because it is likely that your summons would have been mailed to you with a female name. In that case the expectation is that you will show up as a woman.

[BobbiKay]

If you *don't* want to serve on a jury, go en femme. You are more likely to be peremptorily challenged by one or more of the lawyers.

[Stephanie47]

There are two scenarios in the responses. The question started out with "cross dressing." Then, it is encompassing a person who is "transitioning." A judge gets to rule the roost, but there are laws a jurist has to abide with. If I were inclined to show up en femme I'd check the state law and soul search where I fall on the "spectrum." If I were a jurist or one of the attorneys involved in the case, I'd be asking the other potential jurors whether having a transgender person on the jury panel would be a distraction. What is the defendant was a transgender person, male or female. A jury of his or her peers? I think the issue of proper attire would be secondary. No cis woman would show up in an evening gown; nor a cis male in a tuxedo, etc.

[valerie anne]

I have done jury service. It's an ordeal which you need to get through with minimum aggravation.

You will need to prove your identity, you will be searched for weapons, and subjected to continuous petty discipline like a high school student.

So absolutely no cross-dressing, no heels, no makeup, no bras, no panties, no stockings.

It's a myth that defense lawyers will object to "doubtful" jurors: just don't try it.

Merely sit in the jury box, don't look at the accused, and just follow the direction of the judge when it comes to a verdict.

The vast majority of cases are sordid & repulsive. Don't expect Jimmy Stuart or Perry Mason, it's not Hollywood.

[TheHiddenMe]

Jeez, are people still living in the 1950's???

First of all, the "man" in the robe is just as likely to be a woman in a robe.

Second, if a judge these days makes an issue of a transgender person they are likely to end up in the news. And not for good reasons.

I've been on jury duty. I was the foreman on a murder trial (hung jury, 11-1 guilty). The LAST thing of an issue was how the jurors were dressed.

People on this board are afraid of their own shadows.

[mbmeen12]

Full speed a head and dam the torpedoes ...It is what this country, usa is about....Just don't mock the Court....head high, tits up!

[Krisi]

This being a crossdressing group, I am assuming the OP is asking as a crossdresser, not someone who is transitioning.

It occurs to me that asking people in a crossdressing forum if it's OK to perform jury duty crossdressed is not likely to get the best, most reliable answers. Perhaps calling the clerk of the court or another court official would provide a more reliable answer.

[Genifer Teal]

I'm in New York I wouldn't think twice about it. If you're in an accepting state just go for it. Make it fun! It's run by the state so they have to follow the rules they create. I wound up on a case where I had prior knowledge not of the incident but of stuff directly related to the incident and I thought for sure they wouldn't want me but they said my knowledge being directly related would make me more technical in my thinking and they felt that would be good for the case. So don't say they'll automatically dismiss you it all depends on the case.

[Patience]

Thank you all for your replies.

My jury duty week has been fulfilled. I am off the hook for a year.

The point about not messing with judges is well taken, but I would hope and expect that a person in that position would have a healthy respect for due process and the presumption of innocence and would allow me to clarify my presentation. After all, one would be there to fulfill a civic duty, not be the subject of a trial.

This brings me to my explanation. I only have a general outline because I was never called in. Had that happenned, I would have narrowed down my word choices.

I think I would start by saying that I feel I am on the transgender spectrum and occasionally present as female. I would say that I started crossdressing at an early age and in spite of my attempts to suppress this urge, it never goes away. It is part of who I am.

I would tell the court that I habitually present as female and that I could provide photographic evidence and witnesses if needed.

I would point out that being trans does not mean a person is unserious and that the most recent gubernatorial election in California had a transgender candidate.

I would argue that I was presenting myself that way so as to be upfront about my gender identity and that I believed my presentation was covered by the first amendment, perhaps adding that if courts can be accomodating of people who choose to observe certain religious requirements, they should also be understanding of non gender conforming people.

Some folks suggested that showing up crossdressed to jury selection would be a surefire way to be dismissed, but I am not so sure about that. In fact, being an active crossdresser requires many qualities people would find desirable in a juror, such as:

Being able to relate to people of both genders,
Being more tolerant of alternative lifestyles,
Being able to see things from different points of view,
Being more understanding of eccentric behavior,

And maybe even more, who knows?

Not to mention that some cases may have LGBTQ+ plaintiffs and/or defendants, so a jury of their peers should ideally have at least one person of similar persuation, if for no other reason than to educate the other jurors whose contact with LGBTQ+ may be more limited.

Anyway, that's sorta my plan. I may have to put it into action if I get called in next year.

Thank you fo your responses.

[SaraLin]

Patience, I'm the only person that I know of that got a summons for jury duty WHILE ON JURY DUTY! (@#$@!!)

But not that I've said that, I'll have to admit that I'm made of more timid stuff. Other than my 24/7 panties, I made sure to not present in any "non-standard" way.
It mighthave been nice, though. :daydreaming:

[Maid_Marion]

Connecticut bans discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression in public and private employment.
Seems pretty clear cut to me that dressing appropriately for the office should work for the court room.

[crobeson96]

It is an interesting question and in formulating a response I thought that answer might lie in the eternal "Why do you (or 'I' or 'we') crossdress?"
The answers, other than 'I don't know' lie in a range between "It's fun" and "I am a woman in a male body".

I see the question of jury duty as aligning with your personal feelings. If you are at a point in your life where you must express yourself as female to the outside world then jury duty would simply be another challenge that life presents to you.

If you are more of a 'hobby and special occasions' person then the risk of real legal consequences wouldn't be worth the admittedly intriguing experience that would be possible.

Of course you could be very, very serious about your public presentation but just not ready for the risks involved...

[ambigendrous]

My jury duty week has been fulfilled. I am off the hook for a year.

It's been almost 20 years since I was last called for jury duty...being retired for the past 14 years I would enjoy spending time on a jury!

[GaleWarning]

The USA seems to me to be a very strange society.

Having said that, the only time I was called up for jury duty, I made it into the court room and was told what the trial was all about.

I realised that the defendant would argue a culturally-oriented defense, and prayed that I would not be selected.

When my name was called, the defense immediately rejected me - too old, too conservative (or so they thought).

Much relieved. Never called up again!

So, my advice would be, Just go as yourself.

[Genifer Teal]

I think it will come down to how you act about it. If you built it up to be so much in your head and then you're all nervous about it it probably ain't going to work out well. I think the fact that you have to ask and are worried enough about it is a bad sign. If you dress enough and are out enough that it's just one more day one more outing I don't think it would matter one bit. I have to add that I do live in New York state near New York city so things are pretty acceptable here. I don't know how unacceptable other areas get. I just think that if you're appropriate and don't make a big deal of it it shouldn't be a big deal.