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**KatieB** · 01-27-2011, 05:40 AM

I'll be interested to hear the answers anyone has to this because I know my time is coming up. The last time I was called I had to get a dr's note from my neurologist explaining that I had intractable migraine and I couldn't sit for a whole day in the bright lights of a courtroom without having severe pain and vomiting. It worked for that but I know for a fact that I wouldn't make it thru even a short trial with IC. Maybe you should ask your doc? Let us know if you do.

**bob04951** · 01-27-2011, 06:05 AM

Absolutely, get your doctor to sign off on the form. It's not that you WANT to get out of it but you HAVE to.

Actually had our doc sign off on mine because I am Bob's primary caregiver. I can't leave him for a week or more, JEEZ. The last time I served was for a week during a murder trial and started having anxiety attacks that overtook my life. You don't want to cause yourself stress with this thing. It could be a simple one day thing, but you never know til you get there, so...It's a personal decision, but if it is a drawn out thing, or even a one day thing, you do NOT get a lot of breaks. We got lunch and that was about it, unless a lawyer had a motion that he did not want the jury to hear.

It was interesting (worked in law for quite a few years) but very stressful, half of us were crying at the end. Personally, I don't think I could ever do it again, I have not had panic attacks for some years, and just the thought of it makes me anxious. But that is not IC. People with disabilities are very often excused, they tend to disrupt the flow LOL and the judges do not want to prolong any trial. To have to take a break at any moment for one juror would most likely not make a happy judge and your fellow jurors would not be happy about it either. But YES you can get a doctor's note and be done with it, if you so wish. Good luck, let us know. Jill, wife of Bob

***ICNDonna*** · 01-27-2011, 07:03 AM

All you need is a note from your doctor to be excused from jury duty due to a physical condition.

Donna

**bubbe1** · 01-27-2011, 07:51 AM

Jury duty

Originally posted by LithEruiel

I had no idea where to put this, so I figured I'd put it in here...it is causing me anxiety...

My grandfather just called me...he said he was at the courthouse and found out I was picked for jury duty. (I have no idea how he found out, but he's always down there...he works for lawyers and knows everyone.) He said I'd be able to be called for a year and the only thing that would get me out of it is a dr's note. Is it ok for me to ask my doctor for a note because of IC? I can't exactly get up to pee during a trial... I don't like the idea of trying to get out of it, but there's no way I can do it...besides IC, I can't miss school. I don't know what to do. I haven't gotten my notice yet, but I should be getting it soon.

I live in Va. and here it is perfectly fine to get a doctor's note saying someone can't sit for jury duty because of IC. Actually, what the doctor said was just that I have a bladder disease and have to urinate frequently so it would be very difficult for me to serve on a jury and that was accepted.

**LithEruiel** · 01-27-2011, 08:20 AM

Thanks everyone, I'm feeling a little better about it now. I just feel weird asking for it I guess. I'll have to talk to the office staff about it since I don't have an appointment coming up and a lot of them don't know what IC is and it just seems weird to be 27 years old and asking for a note because I can't sit there for long periods. There's no way I could do it if you only get a lunch break though.

**Tuckersmom** · 01-28-2011, 09:21 AM

Originally posted by bubbe1

I live in Va. and here it is perfectly fine to get a doctor's note saying someone can't sit for jury duty because of IC. Actually, what the doctor said was just that I have a bladder disease and have to urinate frequently so it would be very difficult for me to serve on a jury and that was accepted.

That's what my Uro did for me, too.

**LithEruiel** · 01-28-2011, 12:58 PM

Well I got my letter today and there's a medical certificate attached where the doctor is supposed to write what condition you have - by name. What is it their business what condition I have...what about privacy? I know a lot of people try to get out of jury duty for no reason, but I think a doctor's note saying you can't is enough. It also says diabetes is not an acceptable excuse (not that I have it)...how is it not acceptable? If you don't get a break until lunch and your blood sugar drops what are you supposed to do...I don't think they allow snacks! Whatever, I'll have my doctor put what I have, but I'm just afraid I still won't be able to get out of it.

**LithEruiel** · 01-28-2011, 01:24 PM

Oh, the other thing is, the days I might be summoned are Tuesday and Thursday. I have class for 8 hours every Tuesday and clinicals for 8 hours every Thursday. I can NOT miss clinicals. I'm a senior and I graduate in July and I'm worried I'm going to fail because of this stupid jury duty. They have a space to put where you go to school if you're a student, but they don't say school is an acceptable excuse. I'm really worried about this.

I must have the worst luck in the world to get jury duty now. Before I had IC and when I didn't have such a crazy school schedule I would have LIKED to have jury duty!

**Tuckersmom** · 01-28-2011, 01:46 PM

If your doctor will write a letter for you to attach to the jury duty summons you will get out of it. I don't care if a judge knows what my medical problems are. The judge is someone you don't know and will likely never meet. He will be discreet. No one else will see your paperwork from your doctor --- and even if the person filing it sees it, they don't know you either, and probably don't have time --- or even care to --- read this type of stuff.

The important thing is that you get excused so that you can go to your classes and do your clinicals.

**LithEruiel** · 01-28-2011, 01:50 PM

Thanks

It's just weird working in a business where medical privacy is so important and then have it thrown out the window because I have jury duty. It's also kind of odd because my grandfather probably knows the judge and whoever will be reading it. Whatever I guess. It's been publicized to the world that I have IC when I didn't want it to be before (my boyfriend's family all told each other about it, when I didn't want ANY of them to know.)

**LithEruiel** · 01-31-2011, 08:24 AM

Well I got my note today, so I'll just have to wait and see if it gets approved.

**dg2901** · 01-31-2011, 08:53 PM

Regarding your privacy.....your medical opt-out isnt going to be disclosed to everyone thats there that day should you be called. Its usually the judge who asks you discreetly if you feel there are any factors that would cause you to not be beneficial to this jury. You simply tell him what you feel s/he needs to know (or hand over your DR's note). If s/he feels you will be a distraction based on your condition s/he will dismiss you. Its not that big of a deal in regards to privacy....s/he is not going to announce it to everyone.
Re: your concern about missing school...your school has to excuse absences due to jury duty.

**LithEruiel** · 02-01-2011, 01:38 AM

I hoping they won't call me at all because of the note. I had to send it and a form to the court before I'm scheduled to appear and if they don't want you for whatever reason for the entire term they call you before hand. Even if my school has to excuse jury duty absences, I'll still have to make them up because you need a certain amount of clinical hours to graduate...that's 8 hours to make up every day I miss and I don't even know when I'd do it. If I miss lecture that's 8 hours of notes I miss and have to get from someone else. It's still a big deal to miss even if the have to let me go.

**bob04951** · 02-02-2011, 04:19 AM

You should be fine, and who cares who knows what you have? People should not be embarassed by this, or any other condition. It may actually help you out down the road, if your town gossips a lot, you are putting this disease out there and making others aware of it. Not a big deal GF, don't get stressed about it, you will surely get excused. Jill, wife of Bob

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