All most went to jail for not going to jury duty.

You keep the date and show up. When they begin interviewing people for jury duty, you simply explain that your health problems would interfere with sitting on a jury all day.
Bring a doctor's note with you. They don't want folks who can't fulfill the jury duty obligation due to health issues.
 
Robert59: My suggestion: Have your doctor write a letter/note to the Justice Dept (or dept regarding jury duty). Here in Canada age 50 is the upper limit of jury duty.

Apologiest to She DeviI: I was writing this when She Devil posted,
 
Here in Indiana I received a notice for jury duty and it was accompanied by a form you could fill out if you were over a certain age and you could mail back in and be exempt with no questions asked, if you wanted to. I no longer remember the exact minimum age that would automatically exempt you if you wanted, but it was something like 70.
 
Right Now said:
You keep the date and show up. When they begin interviewing people for jury duty, you simply explain that your health problems would interfere with sitting on a jury all day.
Bring a doctor's note with you. They don't want folks who can't fulfill the jury duty obligation due to health issues.
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He can call them. He doesn't have to show up. In fact, they prefer phone calls.

It's possible his jury number won't be on the show-up list anyway.
 
shedevil7953 said:
Have your doctor write a letter excusing you. I have done that in the past.
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That isn't necessary. I was excused from serving for health reasons and no one asked for a doctor's note.

After you receive a jury duty summons, they do a thorough background check on you, including medical information, mental health being at the top of that list. A history of cancer is also a concern. Wheelchairs is another.

On your summons is an ID number they assigned you, and instructions to call every other Saturday (or something) to listen to a recording. If the recording doesn't mention your ID number, you've already been excused...probably because of of what showed up on your background check.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I'm a diabetic, too. Why do you think your diabetes would interfeer with jury duty. BTW you mentioned you had jury duty 40 years ago? Assuming you were in your late 20s or 30s, that may make you too old for jury duty. I'd look into that.
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Diabetes is not the same in everyone. Some diabetics (like my sister) are fortunate to have predictable blood sugar. Others (like me) are not. I can get low or high for no reason at all, without any change in what I eat. I can also feel low when I'm high & vice versa. I have to test immediately when I feel symptoms of either; sometimes they're the same. If I was on a jury & I started to get under 150, I'd have to get up immediately & either test or eat sugar. And I wouldn't be asking permission, either. And after I correct a low, it can take 20-30 minutes before I feel OK.
 
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Reading this reminded me of when I was 21 yrs old and got called for Jury Duty. Now if I was only 21 yrs old that was a loooong time ago. I remember the accused person's name address and what the case was about. It was rape, incest, and corrupting the morals of a young girl (HIS DAUGHTER). Right after the trial was over we got called to get screened for a new trial. We were told to call home and tell our family to have our clothes packed because we would have to stay at a hotel for the duration of the trial. When they interviewed us I answered exactly like the woman before me and they dismissed her. Then the lawyer for the city accepted me but the man's attorney did not accept me. I was thrilled so much, and luckily I never was called for Jury duty again.
 
I always thought jury duty would be interesting. Never got called though, maybe because I moved often.

Actually, I've never met a Canadian who mentioned being summoned for jury duty. (And only one American. Plus those who have posted here!)
 
Here in California 70 and over, you're exempt.

When I wanted to be excused due to health issues, they sent me out ppwk to fill out plus I got my PCP to write a note.
Sent it all back to the offices downtown and case closed.
 
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win231 said:
Diabetes is not the same in everyone. Some diabetics (like my sister) are fortunate to have predictable blood sugar. Others (like me) are not. I can get low or high for no reason at all, without any change in what I eat. I can also feel low when I'm high & vice versa. I have to test immediately when I feel symptoms of either; sometimes they're the same. If I was on a jury & I started to get under 150, I'd have to get up immediately & either test or eat sugar. And I wouldn't be asking permission, either. And after I correct a low, it can take 20-30 minutes before I feel OK.
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Hi @win231, is under 150 considered low for diabetes? I thought it was closer to under 90. Correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Robert59 said:
If I didn't go to jury duty it's a 500 dollar fine and jail time.
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I don't think that happens often... I know when I have been called probably 1/3 of people getting called never showed up, the jails would be full if they really enforced that.

I have gotten a number of summons over the years. I did show up when I could, never got picked though. When I couldn't go I just wrote a note with my excuse, usually that I would be out of town or some business reason. It was never questioned.
NorthernLight said:
I always thought jury duty would be interesting.
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I agree, kind of disappointed when I wasn't chosen. Now that I have time the summons don't seem to find me...
 
palides2021 said:
Hi @win231, is under 150 considered low for diabetes? I thought it was closer to under 90. Correct me if I'm wrong.
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No, not low for most people. But I often get low symptoms when I'm under 200. Sometimes, even at 170. The doctor says, "It's probably because your particular blood sugar drops faster than most people & that causes low symptoms even before you're actually low."
I also have low problems when I'm sleeping. Several times a month, I'll wake up with a rapid, pounding heart & shaking. I'll test at around 65. At that number, I have to eat sugar tabs next to the bed; too risky to walk to the kitchen.
To prevent that, I have a snack before bed. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
 
What do you mean by last minute? I've served a couple of times but over the years as my A-fib got worse and more unpredictable, I had my doctor write a letter for me, excusing me. Once the A-fib was cured in 2016, I decided I'd serve but when I got there, I was told they had enough people and to go home. I never used to get picked anyway because I had 3 cousins on the police force and had been the victim of burglaries when I lived at home with my parents. Now in N.J. you are automatically exempt once you turn 75. This is from the linked website:

"The majority of states have a rule in place that allows individuals over a certain age to choose not to serve on a jury if called. How this works varies by state and by court. Some states allow anyone over a certain age to be permanently exempted; other states allow seniors to be excused from serving if they are called. Some states require notice in writing; other states have a box the senior can check on the jury summons form. The ages at which seniors can be exempted or excused are 65 (Mississippi and South Carolina), 70 (Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia), 72 (North Carolina and Wyoming), 75 (Arizona, Indiana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania), and 80 (Hawaii and South Dakota)."
https://www.martindale.com/legal-news/article_chambliss-bahner-stophel-pc_2232342.htm

It goes on to say that some state rulings regarding seniors are complicated. The article is from 2016 so perhaps some changes have been made. @fuzzybuddy Perhaps complications from diabetes prevents Robert from serving, not the diagnosis itself. If he has frequent urination, like I do all too often šŸ˜£, no way he could serve. Also ditto what @Right Now replied. I hope you don't have to pay that fine!
 
leastlongprime said:
Personally, I have no issues of jury duty.
I've been on 1 and selected for 1 but never seated. The last one, I was excused for physical issues.
Due your duty as a citizen.
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I'm all for doing my duty as a citizen - when it's useful & productive.
The jury system is cheap & economical, but it's pathetically useless, as we've seen.
Asking everyday people to make important decisions when they have no legal knowledge is foolish & I refuse to be a part of such foolishness.
If we had educated, trained professionals as jurors (like other countries), I would have made it my career.
 

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