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Timing fail- Jury duty summons! ><

Started by Bahzi, June 24, 2011, 10:08:29 PM

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Bahzi

So, life's going pretty well, my voice is dropping, I pass almost all of the time, work and friends are making an effort with the pronouns,  and then - I get an awesome piece of red, white, and blue carbon paper the other day that makes me cower in fear: jury duty.

I've not been able to change my gender marker on my ID yet, and there's no way to get it done by July 11, the date I'm to report for jury duty.  I was going to get it done in July anyways, but between how busy my doctor is and the BMV's processing times, it's just about impossible.

Even if I had the gender marker changed, my guess is they're going off of SSA documentation that has me down as a female, so I'm sure they'd address me as such.  I'd do well to mention that I'm at the point now where not only would I make women uncomfortable in their restroom, I'd cause a scene.  Yet if court personnel have 'proof' I'm female and saw me in the men's room, I'm pretty sure that could be a problem too.  Guess I just get to be in court and not pee all day and put up with female pronouns and being called 'miss'.   Just the thought makes me feel like a panic attack is coming on.

Is there any legitimate way of getting out of this or postponing it?  They mention medical excuses needing a doctor's letter, but I somehow doubt being in transition is an excuse to them, and my therapist's not an actual psychiatrist, so a mental health excuse probably wouldn't be excepted either.   I think I'm just screwed, short of the George Carlin method of telling them I'll make an awesome juror because I can tell the guilty people just by looking at them. :P
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JohnAlex

I've never had jury duty.  But my uncle has and he told me about it.  and from what he said, just because you get summoned for jury duty doesn't mean that you'll actually get chosen to go. 
My sister has been chosen twice, and both times they ended up not needing her. 

First, because so many people could give excuses to get out of, they request a LOT more people than they actually need for a jury.  and then the left over ones they just say "nvm, we don't need you afterall."

And then even if you do get chosen to go.  First you go through this screening type of thing.  and they ask you questions to see if you are biased for some reason and shouldn't be on this particular jury. 
For example, with my uncle, because the case had to do with a mentally handicapped person, they asked if anyone there knew any mentally handicapped persons who they thought should be locked up.  And my uncle said yes, he has a sister who is mentally handicapped and he thinks she should not be allowed to be alone.
So after that, he got crossed off the list because that made him biased.

And then even after that, each attorney gets to cross some people off the list "just because." because they don't like the way they look or whatever.


So one thing I would say to you is to relax, chances are that you won't actually have to go all the way through to the actual jury duty.
Who knows, depending on the case, even telling them that you are transgender could make them think you could biased and then cross you off the list.

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sneakersjay

Every time I have been called I have been excused.  And I don't recall anyone noticing gender; but then I was not even close to transition at the time.  I think they checked ID at the door with security; they use your name primarily if they are calling you to talk or dismiss you.  If your name is changed, that should be all that matters.  As others have said, most people don't even notice the gender marker unless they are specifically thinking about it.

Jay


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Taka

which means you should just go as a man, cause if they don't want you there as a man, they'll just tell you you're not needed this time

and even if they decide they want you, i don't think anyone would think twice if you went to the men's restroom. even if you went dressed as a woman, they may not dare say anything about it, it's too awkward to mention. many men have even seen real cis women in the men's restroom before, happens more often than you'd think
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