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Colorado Hall of Shame |
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(Last updated September 1, 2005) |
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If you have been mistreated by the Courts in this way, or if you know of others that have, please click on the letter to e-mail me and share your story! |
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Colorado |
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On Thursday, January 29, 2004, Deborah Hutton received a jury summons in the mail from the El Paso County Combined Courts in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Deborah is a stay-at-home, home-schooling mother of FOUR small children (4-months-old to 6-years-old), whose husband frequently travels out of town, as he is on active duty with the Air Force. She immediately contacted the jury commissioner requesting to be excused. Not only did the jury commissioner NOT excuse Deborah, he told her she would be held in contempt of court if she brought her children to the courtroom. According to the jury commissioner Deborah had three options: 1. Use a one-time postponement
of jury duty for up to 6 months. 2. Place her children in daycare, using a Court-provided stipend. 3. Place her children in the “Court Care Day Care” drop-in daycare provided by the Court.
None of these options were acceptable for Deborah. She did not want to leave her children in a daycare, especially her newborn, who has had serious health issues in the past.
Why would this court demand jury duty in the first place from a woman in such circumstances? Why couldn’t the El Paso County Combined Courts DEFER Deborah until her children were older? She would still bring her wisdom, insight, and perspectives to the jury pool... just a few years later! |
