Approved By DeSantis: New Moms In Florida Now Exempt From Jury Duty

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

Jury duty: many people find it a time-consuming hassle, and if you are a new mom, it is quite possibly the last thing you want to worry about. Taking this into consideration, the Judicial Committee proposed House Bill 461, filed on November 14 of last year.

This bill creates new grounds for jury duty excusal, offering exemption from jury duty to new moms who have given birth within six months of their reporting date for a jury summons. The caveat is that excusal must be requested in advance, and it only applies to the specified summons.

This bill was unanimously passed in both the Senate and the House with votes of 39-0 and 114-0, respectively. Governor DeSantis then approved the bill on April 26, 2024. It is officially a law as of July 1, 2024.

For complete details on this new law, click here to read the full page of House Bill 461. For the official summary of the bill, click here. 
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Article by Ema Tibbetts