Jury Duty requires me to buy new clothes...

[Cupcake]

I've worked in jeans or a uniform for almost as long as I can remember, and haven't needed "dress clothes" for a wedding or anything for ten years and a few sizes. My summons states that jeans are forbidden (even my clean "dress jeans"), so I had to run out and buy some business casual. I'm gonna rebel and NOT buy a tie. I don't mind doing jury duty, but this really yanks my crank. I live in a very, very blue collar and welfare neighborhood. I can afford the new clothes, but it would really hurt most of my neighbors. I want to show up in jeans and a button-down shirt and see what happens, but I'm afraid the judge will hold me in contempt or something. (flashback to the peak of my criminal history, when I forgot about jury duty and after the 2nd notice, they actually issued a warrant. I rushed down to the courthouse the next day and had to pay $250 AND STILL to jury duty).

Is this even legal to require attire that I'll bet a whole lot of people in my neighborhood don't even have? I think it goes way beyond the requirement to serve.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Pitmaster]

Go to the Salvation Army and buy the ugliest tie they have.

[Miggy]

You may want to try a Bolo tie. I hate ties and I found them a nice substitute confort-wise and people find them acceptable.

[ccman]

Watch the movie. "My Cousin Vinny." Maybe you can pick yourself up a nice brown suit. Good luck.

[gbryant]

I agree... thats BS...
Get the crapiest lookin stuff you can find, don't iron it, get a 'loud' tie. Make sure nothing matches... ;)

[DaveH]

Go to the Salvation Army and buy the ugliest tie they have.

I second the Salvation Army.

We have a lot of "thrift" stores and flea markets around here. I could get the whole outfit for under $20.

[Cupcake]

Jury duty tomorrow, already bought some khakis and a shirt. I should've thought of the my cousin vinny approach, though...

[semperfi.45]

My county is very lenient and allows jeans, polos, etc. If the Judge issued a warrant then they must take jury duty pretty seriously. Dress up and hope you don't get picked for a long trial.

[AZ Husker]

Jury duty here pays $12 a day plus a bus pass.

[P7fanatic]

I agree... thats BS...
Get the crapiest lookin stuff you can find, don't iron it, get a 'loud' tie. Make sure nothing matches... ;)

+1

[dukalmighty]

Make sure to mix lime green leisure suit with a mauve shirt and orange pants if that don't make people puke nothing will

[AZ Husker]

You might just get an old judge who dresses just like that on the golf course.

[Paymeister]

Just remember - it is the Judge's show. EVERYTHING in the courtroom is for his (or her) convenience/honor/pleasure/etc. - if the judge says "Jump!", do it.

And this isn't a bad thing, really: if nothing else, it gets folks to think about authority and the good and bad manifestations of it. I am a better dad, for instance, as I see a cop do it right... and as I see a cop do it wrong. I assume that the OP has his head on straight, so this is NOT directed at him - but I've seen a whole lot of people (many at work, most where I taught) who think the world revolves around them. Here is one instance where it decidedly does not, and behavior I once saw in class will get you literally thrown in jail for contempt.

Hope you have a pleasant time: sometimes you can actually enjoy such odd people as you're likely to meet. But I would bring a good book, too.

[Cupcake]

I don't mind the world not revolving around me (well, at least for today), but I do have a problem with the judges thinking the world revolves around them. Maybe it does in their courtroom, but it shouldn't. Behavior problems: lock me up. But different clothes does not make me more rational. I don't mind serving, I've done it twice (not in this little district court, though), and don't recall a dress code (maybe just no shorts or something). I specifically recall going once right from work, I was wearing my EMT uniform, shirt untucked and unbuttoned. The only one on the jury that voted not guilty was a nicely dressed lady who didn't think that one should be held accountable for resisting/assaulting a police officer because he was too stoned to know what he was doing. I can see limiting certain items of clothing, (shorts, tank tops, wearing a hoodie with the hood up), but requiring certain dress to "promote respect for the judicial system you are serving" is the judge just being an @*$&! Why doesn't he just require that we genuflect and make the sign of the cross at his bench? That'll show us who's boss. I already respect the judicial system, but now I've much less respect for this judge.

[ctr]

Buying new clothes for jury duty is, well, a waste of money. If its not a hardship, shop in thift stores for a good used jacket. Show up in court with jeans, the (new) jacket, and the receipt. See what happens. The receipt shows effort. Jury duty is not supposed to create a hardship, and not everyone has the resources to look nice just to impress others. Its the man that matters, not the clothes.

Thoreau said it best, "Beware of enterprises requiring new clothes."