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bobbiejanec Asked March 2016

I cannot serve jury duty as I am a caregiver for my wife and her mother. What do I do?

My wife has serious illness and has to have back surgery soon. My mother in law is very ill has osteoporosis and cannot walk. She needs round the clock caregiver services. She has dementia badly and cannot do anything for herself. Between my wife and my mother I am needed at home all the time. I need to be excused from jury duty all the time. Please consider this and try and understand. Thank You Cameron S.

brandywine1949 Mar 2016
Probably will need a note from a doctor and you probably will have to sign forms. Call the agency involved and ask them what you need to be excused. If they won't excuse you, then take the patients with you to show them what you are doing.

Lassie Mar 2016
Lol, the judge told us, 'if you need to run out to the bathroom frequently, there is a back door right over there leading to the nearest bathroom. If you have a bad back, we have adjustable chairs we can make comfortable for you, or you can lie flat on the floor in the back of the courtroom.' Well, thanks, yer honor!

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Dad_Was_Robbed Mar 2016
Besides age or caregiving, there are certain physical reasons why you would also be excused

Lassie Mar 2016
I'm in my 60's and was called for jury duty. There were 200 of us people in a room! Eventually we were divided up and sent to court rooms, about 50 in each court room. We were asked, 'anyone who feels they can't serve, please come up and tell us your reason' and one after another all manner of people got up and talked confidentially to the judge, and were free to go. That eliminated half. Later, through some arbitrary selection process, 12 jurors were sworn in, and alternates, and I was free to go, not being selected. ... I am absolutely positive if you are needed at home to be a caregiver, they will let you off!

Terry512 Mar 2016
In most counties, anyone who has been issued a social security number can receive a jury summons if the mailer isn't looking at the birth dates. I receive one about every 3-5 years and I'm past the age of serving so I just use my age and send it back in. I don't hear another word from them until the next time. It sounds like you have a valid reason to refuse but read the card on the back and make sure your situation fits the excuse and if so, either circle the number or indicate which reason you are using and then sign it. it shouldn't be a problem. Most countries send out about 200 notices to get 12 jurors because there are so many people who want excuses. One time, I was taking 3 different courses in college which was 12 hours for the semester and being in school disqualified me for that round as well. They shouldn't give you any grief about your excuse. Most likely, they'll get your card, look at what you circled and go on to the next card to see if they can call that person.

freqflyer Mar 2016
Last year my Mom got a Federal jury duty notice.... she was 98 years old. So we filled it out and she signed it. We never heard back.

Someone on this forum said that her son got a jury duty notice.... he was 18 months old.

ADCaregivers Mar 2016
Get a letter from her doctor. Attach it to your form. Not all jurisdictions are reasonable; some think you are trying to escape jury duty.
This may be a radical suggestion. You can just not show up for jury duty. Find out the penalty before you try this suggestion.


kathy1951 Mar 2016
When you get the notice that you are going to be on jury duty, you write them and ask to be excused for the entire time, and state your reasons. Then they decide.
Most of the time they are reasonable.

GardenArtist Mar 2016
How old are you? I can't speak for other jurisdictions, but people over a certain age in my area can automatically be excused from jury duty. It might be 60, might be 65. You'll have to call the court that issued the summons for jury duty to find out.

freqflyer Mar 2016
Bobbie, did you get a notice asking you to serve on a Jury? If yes, then write in the section that asks for the reason you cannot do jury duty, and mail it back to the County/City or from where ever it was sent from. Or call the office that handles jury duty and explain to them your situation and ask what type of documents that they need.

bobbiejanec Mar 2016
yes i cannot serve as I am caring for my wife and mother in law.

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