OTish : Jury Duty with Sleep Apnea

[DocWeezy]

I wanted to serve on a jury for decades when I worked in an office and could take the time and have my employer continue to pay my salary. Unfortunately, I was never even summoned during all those years! I would have LOVED spending a couple weeks on a jury and out of the office.

But now that I own my own business and there is no one but me to work it, I get summoned every darn year. I can't hire anyone else to do the work for me (even if I could afford it), and the nature of the business means I can't plan to have the time free....and if I ever got on a jury for a long trial, it would literally put me out of business.

Weezy

[Perrybucsdad]

Just tell them that you can spot a guilt person a mile away and you believe our punishments are not severe enough. Tell them we should be more like the middle east and I'm sure you will get excused.

Or, you can just pretend to be talking to an imaginary person... that should go over really well. Tell them you're not crazy, but the guy next to you is (where there is nobody next to you) and then pretend to argue with him..

[LSAT]

Why not just serve on the jury if you get picked?

I AGREE......Why do you want to be excused...it's one of the perks of living in the USA.

[PaJoe]

I served on 2 juries, one criminal the other civil, one lasted a week the other a day and I hope I never have to serve again. A few years ago I received a letter concerning jury duty again and I think it mentioned to list or maybe had a form to list any any medical problems. My doctor filled it out for sleep apnea and I mailed it in - I was not called for jury duty since that time.

[JointPain]

Thanks a lot to all those who have done jury service.

I was called up several times before I became a US citizen, so I couldn't serve, but not since.

I know one software engineer who was called up but dismissed because of an answer he gave that the lawyers thought implied bias, although his explanation for the answer had none. Just a different perspective to seeing the question.

Judges are generally excellent at spotting people lying to them, so I wouldn't recommend it. Just tell the truth. If you honestly feel you might not be a good juror, explain why, but don't exaggerate just to get out of jury duty. If they have plenty of acceptable jurors they might give you a break.

From the jury selection transcripts I've read, the judges and lawyers involved appear to be pretty reasonable.

[Alshain]

Well I've just been called too ironically. It's not superior so there is no sequestering, but even though it might not get you OUT of the jury, the Judge would most certainly have a bailiff escort you to your house to retrieve your CPAP machine if you were sequestered.

[Alshain]

Why not just serve on the jury if you get picked?

I AGREE......Why do you want to be excused...it's one of the perks of living in the USA.

Some people don't get paid to be on a jury (well the govt pays, but only for lunch). I'm fortunate that my company actually does pay for Jury duty time, so I wouldn't mind getting picked. In fact I would prefer to get picked if it meant someone who didn't could go back to work. So lets round it off and say you make $15/hour. Just the selection process if you DON'T get picked is $120 out your pocket, if you do get picked and it's a 1 or 2 day trial, well it just multiplies from there. In this economy, a week without pay can drive some people over the edge of bankruptcy. I can't blame people for not wanting to serve for this reason alone.

[physicsbob]

In my early twenties I served on jury in traffic court and considered it not only a duty but an honor to serve. I have been given notice twice in the last five years but my group was never called up. But I don't think I will ever get picked again, because as a physicist, I have worked as a court appointed consultant, and as a expert witness so I don't think the lawyers would like me on a jury.

[cpeterson]

I was called to jury duty 5 times and was excused out of them everytime.

I had wrote on the questionair my thoughts and opinons, some weren't so nice and started to guess what the cases were were about due to the stuff that was going on around the area. Wrote my opinion on each item of cases I thought it was about. Wrote what I thought about the justice system. Two days later, letter in the mail came said you are excused from jury duty.

I had to come to court to defend a friend once, and the states attorney asked me what my relationship was with my friend who was in a traffic incident. The states attorney asked me a question if I would lie for my friend. Eric my friend sanked in the seat cause he knew what I was about say. Told the states attorney, I would sell him down the road in a heart beat. If he's wrong I would sit back and lie about him, I would give him up and sell him out. More was said, states attorney had about 5 minutes of discussion. Eric was sittin in the chair, sunk down and thought he was trying to hide. I had turned to the police officer who had poulled him over and pretty much put him to shame.

Sad part was, states attorney had told the judge, he drops the case agaist him.

In the beginning of being asked any questions by the states attorney he that smerk on his face, although by the time I got done, he walked back to the chair embarressed and at awe of what I had said.

I hate other peoples drama, I have enough of my own, don't need others to fullfil my life....

[rocklin]

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I put JD notices in the shredder, along with rest of my junk mail.
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[kempo]

I got a notice for Jury Service from the U.S. District Court last Thursday 09-22 to appear next Tuesday 10-04 at 8:00 A.M. I am not looking forward to it.

[Newbie Woman]

Get a doctor's note. They may excuse you ahead of time if you tell them you want to serve, but you're ill. You wouldn't want a juror who can't stay awake any more than you'd want one with nausea or appendicitis.

[billbolton]

Is a diagnoses with OSA a valid excuse?
Has anyone tried to use their diagnosis for OSA as an excuse?

Every jurisdiction will be slightly different, but in the jurisdiction I live in, it would not by accepted as an excuse in the normal course of events.

Also if the Sherriff (of the court) discovered that you had asked for an exception on the basis of a medical condition that was under satisfactory treatment (to the point where you can sustain paid employment), you would probably be in a very unpleasant position legally.

In most jurisdictions the vast majority of summond jurors get excused, through a variety of mechanisms, before a jury is actually empanelled for a specific trial, so trying-on an excuse which is unlikely to be accepted is usually a waste of time and only serves to annoy the staff of the court concerned.

Cheers,

Bill

[Uncle_Bob]

From what i understand they are not likely to want a sleep apnea patient on the Jury.
I have looked at the excuse document and its pretty heavy stuff, the doctor has to sign under penalty of perjury etc etc.

I will show up and mention the fact that i have OSA at the interview and see what they say.

[cowlypso]

Do you really want it documented in a court of law that your OSA is so bad that you would be unable to stay awake during a trial? If your OSA is that bad, you also shouldn't be driving. And you wouldn't want that to go on the legal record unless it's true and you are not driving.