Jury duty

[AnxiousGirl87]

I have jury duty tomorrow and I am freaking out. I've received about 6 summons but never had to report but this time I called like instructed and I have to.

I have serious social anxiety and regular anxiety. I'm terrified of having a panic attack in front of the judge and everyone else. I feel stupid for feeling so scared and upset about because I know it's no big deal but I can't help it. I just keep thinking of all the things that could go wrong. I just wish I was normal and normal every day things didn't cause me so much anxiety.

[Hidden]

Ok, I'm am an attorney with trial experience and have been selected to be part of a jury pool. The minute I called back stating I had chronic pain from an accident and PTSD and was being treated by 2 doctors for this, that I wouldn't be able to sit long for due to pain, I was told I would be taken off the jury pool list.

Do you have any doctor's letter that states you are being treated for the acute anxiety you write that you have? You do you have anything that shows you have been diagnosed with acute anxiety? Do you take any medication rx by a doctor for acute anxiety, or are you still just self-medicating?

If you don't you will most likely be sitting in a room with a lot of other people waiting to see if you are going to even considered for a jury. With no proof that you have a doctor stating he/she believes you would not be able to serve on a jury due to your health, you most likely will have to stay. The trial judges have heard every excuse under the sun from people wanting to get out of jury duty.

The jury pool you're in may be dismissed after a number of hours, and be told you may have to come back the following day to wait again to see if you are selected to be a potential juror. Most likely you will never see a courtroom, much less a judge.

Take along some reading material to keep you from being bored or anxious, bring something to snack on and drink in case there is no cafeteria or vending machines.

Anytime you receive a notice like this, you should call immediately if you have a health reason backed by a doctor that states you would not be able to serve.

Good luck and just chill tomorrow You'll be ok. Many people have anxiety or nervousness or dislike for being called for potential jury duty. You are not that different from them. You'll be fine.

[AnxiousGirl87 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah I know I'm going to have to go and do it. I don't have anything to prove my anxiety issues. Thank you for your advice though! I've got some stuff gathered up to take with me(books, snacks, and some water). I'm sure it won't be as bad as my mind is making it out to be :).

[Hidden in reply to AnxiousGirl87]

You'll be fine,

[capedlitigator]

I'm a trial lawyer. You have nothing to fear. You can trust me that the experience is nothing to worry about.

[Hidden]

Hi I was called for jury service at the Old Bailey back in the 80's. My doctor did ask me if I wanted to do it and he offered me a letter excusing me. Anyway I went and had a whale of a time. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

Just to make you laugh this is how we picked our foreman. The new jury had been called into the courtroom where the judge asked who our foreman was. Well we hadn't picked one had we. I was in the back row and the whisper went round - him in the front who was suited and booted. So 4 of us poked him in the back, he jumped then got up and said he was Job done.

Have fun.

[robbi80]

This isn't your fault, and I'd be freaking out as well.

Also you certainly aren't stupid for feeling scared. Hope it turns out good for you.

[AnxiousGirl87]

Well I made it through it. As I figured it wasn't as bad as thought it would be. It turned out I knew most of the people involved and knew quite a bit about the case. I felt I couldn't be unbiased and so I had to go up and talk to the judge and tell him what the issue was. I wasn't nervous at all. I didn't stumble over my words and I told him exactly how I felt and he excused me. It doesn't sound like much but for me it was huge. As wrong as it feels to say you can't be unbiased to a judge, I know it was the right thing to do and I was really proud of myself that I got up there and did what I had to do.

[robbi80 in reply to AnxiousGirl87]

I Think you did extremely well, it's always the case, I also think things will go very bad, and after the event I realise that it wasn't so bad after all.