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Thread: Crossdressing and Jury Duty.

  1. #26
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    Remember that ALL this advice your getting is worth everything your paying for........

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

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by chrissy111 View Post
    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.
    Krisi

  3. #28
    Senior Member GretchenM's Avatar
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    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.

  4. #29
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    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.

  5. #30
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    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.

  6. #31
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    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.

  7. #32
    Senior Member TheHiddenMe's Avatar
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    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.
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  8. #33
    Senior Member mbmeen12's Avatar
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    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!
    Escapism isn't necessarily bad, but is definitely unhealthy in the long term. While helpful in the short term, things will degrade over time. At some point, the escapee will have to face the issue. Things simply blowing over isn't really going to happen in many situations.

  9. #34
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    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.
    Krisi

  10. #35
    Life is more fun in heels Genifer Teal's Avatar
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    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.

  11. #36
    🙊🙈🙉 Patience's Avatar
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    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.
    When haters hate, I celebrate!

  12. #37
    Senior Member SaraLin's Avatar
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    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.

  13. #38
    Senior Member Maid_Marion's Avatar
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    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.

  14. #39
    Junior Member crobeson96's Avatar
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    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...

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Patience View Post
    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!
    Ambigendrous
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  16. #41
    The 100th sheep GaleWarning's Avatar
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    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.

  17. #42
    Life is more fun in heels Genifer Teal's Avatar
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    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.

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