RA & Jury Duty (half OT) | Arthritis Information

Does RA "count" as a disability enough to get me out of Jury Duty? I've never done it before and REALLY don't want to take BART to Oakland by myself.... ugh.

Anybody that's been adult longer than me (everyone here over 18? lol) know how to write one of those "excuse me please" letters? I'm kind of lost... going to go over it with my mother on Sunday, but I wouldn't mind more advice I'm 37 and I've never once been called. How to they call people? I'm a registered voter, a licensed driver? I don't know?

RA might work. I have no idea how it works.

OMgosh!! I get called every year. Ok, that's an exageration, but I have been called 4 times.call them and find out what they need from you. I've been called twice and got out of it both toimes. The first time because I had a pre paid airline ticket for a vacation. They excused me on the phone. The second time was much easier. I was called for jury duty in Virginia..the only problem was that I had moved to Ohio. Again all it took was a phone call. So I'd start off by calling them telling them you are a student and that is finals week and if they could please reschedule youI just went through some of this last week. My number was 879 and I had to call in to see if I had to report. I had to call in every day, Monday once, Tuesday once, Wednesday twice and Thursday once--when they finally said I was dismissed. I never had to report--thank goodness. I really don't think RA will keep you off a jury unless you have some extreme conditions--I don't know that you don't. I know it is difficult to sit for long periods of time and then try to get up. I would call them about the finals--I am sure they will re-schedule so you don't miss those but I don't think you are off the hook. Let us know the outcome.

I do want to say some people have said they really have enjoyed the experience and felt it is very important and felt happy to sit on a jury.

I am permanently excused from jury duty. When I got the jury duty summons I took mine to my rheumy. I asked him if he could have me excused. I had just retired on disability. He filled out the back of my form, notifying them of my medical condition and my physical limitations. I got a letter shortly after that permanently excusing me.You can call in? Hm.

I haven't even seen the summons yet, my mom just gave me a call... I think I'll have to write a letter... I really don't mind doing it, it would actually be really interesting, except for the fact that it requires me going to an unfamiliar, mildly dangerous city by myself... (Which is weird because I lived in Oakland off and on as a kid, but almost never went downtown.)

It's so funny, I moved to another really big city for college and I feel really safe here (then again it's ranked the 2nd safest urban area in the US or something?) but Oakland's reputation totally precedes itself.

Anyway, thanks for the help guys, I'll let you know how it turns out... any other comments will be appreciated as well :)

(also - wow Lovie, never called? knock on wood lol! what an interesting coincidince...)

I think a Dr's note will do it!!

I've always gotten a form , thru the mail and i just mail it back, saying i'm on disability..

and I'm very hard of hearing!! lol

I was called. Went in ,interviewed and then excused. I was a little mad since I thought it might be interestingI also got a permenant excuse. I am unable to stay in one position for long. Sitting for hours would be impossible. Somehow, I don't think they would want someone taking pain meds regularly, either. Anyway, my PCP wrote me a letter to be permenantly excused.

If you do get a letter from you doc, be sure to make a copy. I had to send it again last year.

On the back of my notice of jury duty was a place to put any reasons you might have for not being able to serve. I just wrote "Rheumatoid Arthritis - on SSDI" and never heard anther word from them. I have served on a jury years ago when I could still get around easily and found it very interesting.

Ann.Jury duty is a good experience. You learn a bit about the judicial process. My employer pays me if I go so I take advantage of that day away from patient care. My bones hurt as bad at work. What's SSDI? Soc Security Disablity...?Nobody knows how you get chosen? I wouldn't mind doing either....seems kind of neat and I'd still get paid also.

Whenever I've been called it goes like this...I sit in a room with a bunch of other people and they draw numbers to see who gets to go back to be questioned by the lawyers. Three of the times my number didn't come up. So I just sat in a room all day. The time my number did get chosen, they fullfilled the number of jurors before they even got to me, so I was dismissed. It'd be kinda cool to actually be on a jury though.

I'd consider doing it if it wasn't difficult. Was called and served a few years ago--pre-illness. Very educational. I'm sure you can be excused on a medical basis. Actually school is enough reason to be excused. You need to contact them and let them know it is finals time. I have been excused for that reason.[QUOTE=littleistgypsy]

Does RA "count" as a disability enough to get me out of Jury Duty? I've never done it before and REALLY don't want to take BART to Oakland by myself.... ugh.

I'm already going to try to at LEAST reschedule it because it's during my finals (May 15) though that's technically Dead Week and we have no classes (I think? Maybe?) and hopefully get it deferred til next year... I wouldn't mind if it weren't Oakland, which is probably Superior Court anyway. Plus my RA isn't bad enough that I *couldn't* do it, I would just be really uncomfortable driving that long/walking and sitting all day--not awesome for the bones.

I had gotten a letter for jury duty a little after my RA got really bad. I just wrote on the field about why I would not be able to do it, and never heard anything else back from it.

I just basically wrote about the things I could not do at the time, which were a lot of things. and my handwritting was probably not even readable, and it took me a few days to finish that form, because my hands could not hold a pen and write.

So... I am guessing they do not want me LOL!

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I mean I've never even been called at all.

There was a number on a letter they sent me for jury duty, it was before i was diagnosed with RA. I was a new mother and i told the guy on the phone that i had no family and no money to pay for a sitter.

He said ok and we hunt up.

If you have the same, call and say you are partially disabled with RA and can't sit for long periods of time.

Oh and Lovie.... I think they get your name from the voter registery. I was not ever called for jury duty until a year after the first time I voted, I was 24. I also think that is what hubby said was the reason... the voter registery.

I vote.

I wonder if you can volunteer to be on jury duty? They'd LOVE you if you did that!

Yeah but what if you volunteered to be on jury duty and then it was a band of people who always volunteered and the same verdict was given at each hearing?

Sorry, in a silly thought process today. I am 51, when I was first called I was in my late 20's and would have loved doing it. But when they called my family and I have a scheduled vacation. I called the circuit court judge and he just told me to call when I got back from vacation, I did and they didn't need me. The next time I got called I had IBS and had to call the judge again and tell him my problem. He was nice and excused me. Then would you believe I got called two more times and had to call and tell them about my RA and OA. I hope they will now take my name off.I understand they get names from several places, voter registration, DMV and not sure where else. There are all kinds of courts, county, grand jury, town. Ask your doctor to write a note. The jury people have no right to know why your doctor asks you to be excused. My doctor wrote on a prescription pad ..

Please excuse ( Name) from Jury service because of her medical condition. That was it. no questions asked. Send it back with a copy of your jury notice. Keep copies of both and save them because 5 years later they will call you again. I never had a doctor refuse me to write a note.

I was on a jury once when I had no flare-ups. It was really interesting. The last time I had got called, I showed up and they sent me home when they saw me walking (or should I say limping) and I told them I have RA and would be unable to sit for a long period of time. I think it all depends on the judge or if you get a note from your doctor, I think they'll let you out. I have had it rescheduled a few times when I had school and I sent back the card requesting a different date, they usually change it without any questions. I have never been called for jury duty but would consider it an

honor to do so if I ever get the call . I would be sad though if when

the call comes that I would be in too much pain to do so.

I wonder if they would still want you there if you have to take pain

killers to sit for the day ?