BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Breastfeeding women in Alabama will be excused from jury duty, the state’s highest court ordered unanimously on Friday, in response to public outcry from a mother who said that she was threatened with child protective services for bringing her nursing infant into court.

In a Jan. 14 follow-up Facebook post, Brown shared that state auditor and former legislator Andrew Sorrell has reached out to her about working to get bill HB369 — a bill designed to help nursing Alabama mothers receive exemption from jury duty — passed in the state legislature.

Only days after a mom was threatened with DHR for bringing her infant to the Jefferson County Courthouse, the Alabama Supreme Court issued an administrative order declaring a nursing mother should be excused from jury duty.

Kandace Brown, a mother of five, faced a challenging situation when she was summoned for jury duty while exclusively brea

Part of the order read, ‘A nursing mother of an infant child clearly qualifies for the excuse from jury service." It goes on to say “other competent evidence” from a prospective juror seeking to be excused must be submitted telephone, electronic mail, or writing in advance of the prospective juror’s summoned date."

Sorrell said Alabama currently has no law exempting nursing mothers from jury duty. Alabama House Representative Susan Dubose said after hearing Brown’s story she plans to file a bill regarding this at the 2025 Legislative Session.

Breastfeeding mothers will now be exempt from jury duty, according to an administrative order from the Alabama Supreme Court. This ruling follows an outcry from mothers in Jefferson County who had bad experiences when called on for jury duty.