Jury Duty

I had it last spring and told the judge about my Crohns and needing frequent bathroom breaks and his response was: If I need to go the rr then I would need to let the Bailiff know and they would take a break. Thankfully, I didn't run into any embaressment.

I wrote about this in detail on this thread:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&p=1&m=1081913

Let me know if you have more questions

Well your not alone I got one last week too and not the greastest thing to get ...It's a long drive and waiting to get in to the Dr. now.. lol gail

Yep, my doctor did the same thing. He wrote a rather graphic note about frequent and unpredictable d, and said that these symptoms made me an unsuitable person to sit on a jury... ever... and I haven't been summoned since (touch wood).

I was sent a letter this week as well and I've just replied asking to be excused. There is no way I can do it at the moment, so I'm hoping it's not going to be too much hassle being excused.

Without reading the link, yes the definition has changed and it now includes intermittent diseases as well as those that are in remission but would qualify as having a disability when active.

The problem is that there is a difference between having a disability and being so disabled. For example, everyone with crohns should qualify for accommodations under the ADA in their workplace. That does not mean that the same person would qualify as "disabled" for disability purposes. Make sense?

Unfortunatly, not many people like jury duty and many people try to get out of it by claiming illness. That is why they are so tough on those of us with real illnesses. In some places, having crohns will be enough. In others, they would try to accommodate you by giving you as many bathroom breaks as you needed. Then, I would respond that I mentally could not handle that because not having free access would cause me extreme anxiety and embarassment or something like that.

The best thing to do is google your state's name and jury duty and then read what they require to get out of it. In many places you will still have to show up and show the judge the letter stating why you can't serve. In others you can just mail it in. If you have a full time job be prepared for them to question you further why you can work but can't serve. Worst case scenario during the questioning by the lawyers you can just take tons of bathroom breaks and show them how bad of a juror you would be and get excused that way.

I actually just checked some of the local state's websites and it seems they are getting more progressive. "We reserve the right to excuse someone for extreme harship including medical conditions."

heatmiser...Fitzy gives some great advice!

I just wanted to note that you can not mail a note in in all areas.  Even though I had a medical note, I had to go to the day I was called and wait to be assigned to a jury then present that judge with my information.  I could not call or mail in a note to be excused. 

I would like to sit on a jury, I just would be uncomfortable if it was a bad day.  I would also think I might be a bad juror since I would not eat if I was in the jury so I wouldn't have to go.  Not eating affects my thought process. 

Personally, I would love to be on a jury (ok, I am a lawyer). I know it is a disruption and nuisance, but it is a civic duty and a good learning experience. Most people I talk to after the fact say it was a positive and informative experience. The annoying part is the waiting to be called/picked not the trial.

As Fitzy said, the judges have to and will accommodate you. All of the judges I have worked with go out of their way to make the process as painless as possible when they can. If you ask you can give them a signal that you need a break and they will give you one. I've found this in both state and federal court, though state courts are a little crazier.

If you want out and don't have a letter from your doc, any sane judge will let you off if you say you can't sit there long enough to participate.