My mother received the same several years ago when her Alzheimer’s condition began. I just filled out the section where she could decline to serve and wrote in the explanation. I think I reiterated her age as well. Then I signed on her behalf.
Weeks went by and we received a reply stating she was not required to appear. It also included instructions on how we could go online to the court website to apply for her to be relieved from this civic duty permanently. I did that and she hasn’t received any more summons in 4 years.
There is usually a number to call on the summons to ask questions like this. They will not want her to participate. Ask about the process to be excused.
I have known people that failed to show for jury duty without applying for an excuse. I have been called for jury duty where the judge issued bench warrants for those that do not show.
Do not ever mess with the court system especially when it is so easy to be excused.
My goodness I never would have thought a question like this would become a contest on who is right! Just another sign of the times. Sad isn't it?
How it is dealt with might vary by state and county. In my county they are so hard up for jurors that they have become pretty strict, but not unreasonable.
In my area the police will eventually show up at your door for failure to follow a summons. I wouldn’t ignore it. Trust me, the government doesn’t forget when you ignore them!
One of the means to be excused from Jury Duty if there is proof one is not of sound mind. You’ll likely need some proof from Mom’s doctor. Not sure if a letter will suffice.
Just call the number on the summons. Where I live if your 75 or older you do not have to serve. I have been able to tell a clerk that my nephew has a neurological problem and they have excepted it. He actually has an ID not a license which is how they know about u in my state. My DH is deaf. I have a doctors letter I send back everytime he got a Summons.
The clerk will tell you if you need anything from the doctor to prove her diagnosis. Since ur 59 Mom is probably passed the age limit.
Frankly, I'd ignore it. You can either do that or go to the website and fill out the form, but don't expect it to do much beyond postponing her date of service.
No one has ever been tossed into jail or fined for not responding to a jury summons. As it's your mom with dementia, not you, she cannot be held responsible for not responding and they can't prove she received it.
I've done jury duty more times than I can count and always do my civic duty, but they make it far too difficult to get out of it when there's a permanent issue. My dad finally got them to stop calling my mom by telling them she was stone deaf, which she was. I don't know if he had to provide documentation, but I'm sure he pointed out that she was in her eighties at the time as well.
Yes, this is what I did when my husband received a jury notice. His pcp was quite familiar with what to write and quickly handled it for me. They get "medical exemption" requests all the time. Ignoring a summons is very bad advice.
Just call the Clerk of the Court, explain the situation and ask if you need documentation, and if so, from whom. If I remember correctly (and it's been several years since I was called for jury duty), there's an explanation section for those who can't serve, but your mother may have to sign unless you have authority to sign on her behalf.
Does the form you received have a web page to go to? My Mom got summoned, & all I had to do was go to the listed web page and put in a specific number that was on the summons. They had a list of excuses with checkboxes by them. I chose one and submitted it electronically. She was instantly excused, with no proof or doctor's notes required.
This of course, would depend on your county/state whether they handle things this way. It was very simple for us.
In my county You need a letter from her doctor explaining her diagnosis. You go to the court house and present it along with the jury summons. (there is usually information such as where to go and by what time for handing in exemptions) However, there is usually an age exemption as well that is permanent, if offered in your locale. I've done jury duty before and then I was diagnosed with a disease that stops me from being able to serve on a jury. I've been sent a summons about 3 times that I've had to do the letter from the doctor to explain why I cannot serve. They do not keep the letters past a year and she can be sent a notice again later.
Weeks went by and we received a reply stating she was not required to appear. It also included instructions on how we could go online to the court website to apply for her to be relieved from this civic duty permanently. I did that and she hasn’t received any more summons in 4 years.
on the summons to ask questions like this. They will not want her to participate. Ask about the process to be excused.
Do not ever mess with the court system especially when it is so easy to be excused.
My goodness I never would have thought a question like this would become a contest on who is right! Just another sign of the times. Sad isn't it?
One of the means to be excused from Jury Duty if there is proof one is not of sound mind. You’ll likely need some proof from Mom’s doctor. Not sure if a letter will suffice.
https://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/lifestyle/happens-ignore-jury-summons-151336252.html
The clerk will tell you if you need anything from the doctor to prove her diagnosis. Since ur 59 Mom is probably passed the age limit.
No one has ever been tossed into jail or fined for not responding to a jury summons. As it's your mom with dementia, not you, she cannot be held responsible for not responding and they can't prove she received it.
I've done jury duty more times than I can count and always do my civic duty, but they make it far too difficult to get out of it when there's a permanent issue. My dad finally got them to stop calling my mom by telling them she was stone deaf, which she was. I don't know if he had to provide documentation, but I'm sure he pointed out that she was in her eighties at the time as well.
You can’t get a summons and just toss it aside. They will come after you one way or another.
This of course, would depend on your county/state whether they handle things this way. It was very simple for us.
You need a letter from her doctor explaining her diagnosis.
You go to the court house and present it along with the jury summons. (there is usually information such as where to go and by what time for handing in exemptions)
However, there is usually an age exemption as well that is permanent, if offered in your locale.
I've done jury duty before and then I was diagnosed with a disease that stops me from being able to serve on a jury. I've been sent a summons about 3 times that I've had to do the letter from the doctor to explain why I cannot serve.
They do not keep the letters past a year and she can be sent a notice again later.
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