Oh, no! Jury Duty!

I got my notice in the mail the other day.  I may not have to go in if my number is not called, but what if it is?  How does anyone deal with this?  I'm starting to feel a little better but since feeling better never lasts very long, I'm worried about three weeks from now.  I'm worried about getting out of the house and being there by 8:30--will I be finished going to the bathroom?  I'm worried about having to run to the bathroom in court.  I'm worried about passing gas while I'm there. What if I get on a case?  This is stressing me out so much I'm afraid it might cause another flare.  I have a doctor's appointment monday and I'm seriously thinking about asking him for a medical excuse.  But can it really be considered a disability? 

Has anyone here had to deal with this?  What did you do?

Hey there! I work for a law firm and help select jurors so I first want to tell you to take a deep breath... I doubt you will end up on the case. First, the court is required to make accomodations for people with disabilities so they may be reluctant to excuse at first because of you disability. This is why it is important to let them know that you would rather be excused than be accommodated. Next, every jurisdiction has different standards on what counts as "disabled." You may or may not be able to be excused with a doctors note. With a doctors note you risk being called next year and the year after in hopes that you "feel better." If you don't meet your jurisdictions standards for disabled you will have to show up for the first day and for voir dire. I was called for jury duty in Mass. and was flaring. There were 2 toilets for about 30 of us. I was freaking. I went to the bathroom about 5 times in an hour and started getting dirty looks from other people in the room who could probably hear me and smell me lol. The bathrooms were IN the juror waiting room. So then we had to go sit in a meeting and I had to excuse myself from that to "go" again. I walked up to a guard, in tears, and said "I think I have the flu." I wasn't diagnosed with crohns yet even though I was sure something was very wrong with me. That is why I didn't try to get pre-excused. So the guard said no worries, signed my card, and let me leave. I was marked as "served" and couldn't be called again for 5 years. Fast forward to working in Maine. So if you don't get pre-excused you show up to the first day of jury selection. You have a questionaire to fill out and give to the lawyers. Each lawyer gets to excuse a certain number of jurors without explanation. On your form they ask if you anticipate any complications with serving or need accommodations. One lady wrote that she had a bladder disorder and would have to have a bathroom break every half hour. Not wanting to stop the trial every half hour we excused her without explanation. Another man read at a fourth grade level. Not wanting him to not understand the evidence we excused him... my point being, even if you can't get excused before trial, if you are honest on your questionaire and FULLY DISCLOSE IN GORY DETAIL why you shouldn't be a juror, a lawyer will probably cut you loose. Finally, a lady did make it onto our jury and mid trial got sick. She wrote a note to the foreperson who handed it to the judge who called a recess. She did this a couple more times. I was sweating for her because I knew how she felt. She didn't show up the next day and just called the judge and left a message that she was sick. What did the judge do? He just excused her. We had 2 extra jurors for that reason. No matter what, you will be ok, you will get out of it one way or another. Even if you have to cry and tell a court room of people that you poop too much, you will be excused lol!!!!!!!

I always wondered about that. When I have to go, I have to go, I can't hold it in till a break. I would be mortified........

I could just imagine it being the most important part of someones testimony and it being my 5th bathroom trip........

I think the stress of being on a case would cause me to go into a flare.

I think in MA and NH, you can just decline but you can't do that the next time you get called as you are put back on the list. Check out that option too, may be easier and who knows you may not get called again or called again for a while.

Whenever I get a notice for jury duty - my GI writes a note for me stating that I have a disease that causes fecal incontinence and will not be able to serve. 

Oh yes !!! I had the same problem I ask my Dr for a permanent excuse from jury duty he had no problem. As long as you have a Dr excuse they cannot deny. But make sure you have the Dr make it a permanent excuse this will be forever!!!! I did it last summer.From Calif, make sure you keep a copy for youself. My wife got a permanent excuse due to stress from her DR also. Good Luck.

Oh gosh for some reason I worry about this! I'm glad to know there is something we can do. Even if my UC is behaving my IBS can act up when I'm nervous or stressed.

Thanks everyone for responding.  Hopefully my GI will agree to writing an excuse when I go Monday, even though my flare is starting to wind down.  The stress alone over this might set me back, and I'm so afraid of that.  I'm so grateful I have this place to come to with all you good people for help and support.  I've learned so much here, too.  Stuff I would never know otherwise.

Hi There, I just got excused from jury duty here in Massachusetts. My GI wrote a note outlining my condition and the symptoms associated with it.  Urgency etc . I was diqualified . I hve served every three years like clock work even was the forman last time. I told my wife they should be able to give me a pass this time.  Although I would have gone if they did not take my excuse and agrued at the bench for dismissal.  I joked with my wife That I would not go and what's the worse they could do, put me in a cell with a bed and toilet next to each other . Sounds like a good set up to me.

Good luck

Me! I grew up on the South Shore, my GI is in Plymouth. I currently live on Cape Cod.

I have to go to court for jury duty on Monday morning sad I've had three fairly minor flares since the fall due to work-related stress (after several years of remission), but have fortunately been doing pretty well recently. So I didn't figure it was worth it to try to get excused in advance.

Since my jury duty is for the month of March, I'm crossing my fingers that I'll only have to be there on Monday!

My first GI was the head of the GI unit at Beth Israel. He was great....Did you happen to see Dr. Peppercorn at Beth Israel? Whenever I would get a scrip filled at the pharmacy from Dr. Peppercorn, they couldn't read his writing well, so they wrote Dr. Pepper.........Where in Brockton was your husband from? When is your surgery scheduled for?

Yes, Dr. Peppercorn! He was awesome!!!! I had a consult with him at the recommendation of my regular GI, Dr. Marcel (who's also awesome), to see if there was anything we should be doing that we weren't. Aside from surgery, there was nothing. But my visit with Dr. Peppercorn lasted a good 3 hours, extremely comprehensive. My surgery is scheduled for May 7th...I'm freaking out! But very excited to be able to get off meds. And to live a life not ruled by the bathroom ,ya know? My husband is outside doing yard work- I'll ask him where in brockton he's from. His Mom lived there for years, right near Christo's... love Christo's! God, I can't tell you the last time I had a greek salad though... That's great you are in remission- I hope it lasts!  PS- the hubby lived on both the North side & the South side of brockton.

I had my GI to Type a letter stating that I had UC  & would require frequent bathroom break. I was excused for medical reasons.