IBS and Jury Service

[Gardener]

I have been summoned for jury service and am panicking that I will not be excused on the grounds of my severe IBS. Anyone had any experience of this and what did they do please? I have to return the form within 7 days or be fined, likewise if they don’t accept my illness makes this impossible, hence my anxiety!

[Hidden]

Yes, I did get excused. I just filled out the form, and although probably not required, had my Doctor sign it. You will most likely be excused, even without Doctors note.

[Gardener in reply to Hidden]

Oh thank you, hope you’re right, can’t bear the thought.

[Hidden in reply to Gardener]

It will be okay. You will get excused, if you cant sit because of a medical condition, you can't be part of a jury, and they will understand that. Try not to worry. I know, easier said than done..

[Smarrco14]

I was called to jury duty during bad bout of ibs my gp gave me medical certificate sent with form and all was well last year

[dipsy14]

I panicked also, but I filled out the form and included that I needed to have constant access to the toilet at any given time. I didnt have drs certificate. Came back excused from service. Panic for nothing!!

[HevsLM]

I've just been excused on the same grounds - I rang them and they specifically said don't get a doctors note just explain why you aren't suitable; running out the room, unable to sit for long periods, unreliable because you don't know how you will feel each morning etc.

[Purplewoman]

I often wondered about this? So if I went could u keep getting up in court and going out ? What would they say

[Gardener]

Thank you all, I have completed the form stating my difficulties and posted it so hopefully it will be accepted. The tone of the letter was quite threatening I don’t think they should scare people into doing such an important duty who are not suitable for one reason or another. Just my opinion. Ros

[Heliopause011 in reply to Gardener]

When did the form come? I just received the notice but the questionnaire says to bring it in the day of?

[Gardener in reply to Heliopause011]

The form came with the summons and there was a section to fill in if you wanted to be excused. Thankfully they accepted my health reasons without further questions and I was excused.

[Alun001]

Don't worry, good advice already given. Time to chill!

Peace!

[ARLEN]

I got excused because of ibs just filled out the form

[sammysmum]

I was called for Jury Service, filled out my form with numerous ailments, and was told I was excused! I cannot sit in a courtroom with IBS and an overactive bladder, impossibility.

[howarddavies]

I was also excused when I explained to them about my condition. At the end of the day, they need 12 jurors who can be there for every minute of the trial so it would be detrimental to them to make you do it. Plus, they're not gonna force you to put your health at risk.

[Luisa22]

I know this is an old post but that situation occurred to me just recently also so would like to add a reply here.

Contact the court including your juror number and details etc.. Briefly tell them your situation. Keep it brief, and say you can supply more details if required. Ask what the procedure is, for instance, do you need to submit something written from your doctor, and when etc.

If you have already been diagnosed, include that, maybe mention that "X" consultant at "X" hospital diagnosed you if you had that kind of consultation, and what date.

I had suffered for months worrying about it. I got a deferral the first time in 2021 (which you can ask for) and my service was postponed for a year, but coming up to the 2nd time I was so massively worried. I didn't know how I would be able to get through it.

Anyway, that's what I did. My email was only about 6 lines long. In 5 days I got an answer from the court saying I was excused and needed to do nothing more. I didn't even need to get a doctor's note in the end, and that saved me from more hassle of trying to get an appointment (which would be bound to be early a.m.) Any a.m. appointment is my nemesis with ibs-d.

It seems some people -and the most unexpected ones -do understand sometimes.

[JessRaven in reply to Luisa22]

I’ve also gotten summoned multiple times but I’m not able to do it because I have stomach issues. I’ve tried many times to get a diagnosis from doctors but they haven’t found “anything wrong”. I’ve grown desperate because I don’t know if it’s IBS or candida overgrowth or what. In the meantime, situations like jury duty give me anxiety. Luckily the first time I got summoned I arrived late to the third summoning where they fine you so because of that they gave my service to someone else but still counted it as me serving since I did attend the third call gathering. The second time I got lucky again and didn’t have to report at all during service week. This month I got summoned again but I’m currently dealing with a herniated disc which is more easily diagnosed so I can get proof from a doctor. They just postponed me instead.

However for the following postponement next year I still have anxiety even if my herniated disc is healed by then my stocmach issues won’t. I thought I had to provide proof of stomach problems so I never bothered writing a medical excuse. Seeing these posts gave me hope to at least try to explain myself next time and asked to be excused ahead of time. I will need to constantly go to the bathroom and there’s nothing to be done about it. So I really can’t do the service no matter how many times they threaten me. Which I agree it feels very threatening for no reason, they really make you feel criminal about it which I think is ridiculous.

[Cyclingchic in reply to Luisa22]

Hi Luisa- I saw your note from 2 years ago about getting execused from jury duty because of IBS. May I ask what you wrote in your email to them because I just got a notification about it and am freaking out because I need to be able to use the bathroom frequently and as soon as it comes on. I also am not being seen by a dr for it because I was diagnosed and they can't do anything about it. I'm in NY by the way.

I greatly appreciate your response. I also wrote you privately.

Thank you,

Dana

[Luisa22 in reply to Cyclingchic]

Hi Dana,

I wrote you a pm just now. The rules and procedures may be different in the US to the way they are here. I don't know. But here, we are allowed one postponement (at the discretion of the Court) and there is also "MEDICAL EXEMPTION"

Firstly, I postponed saying nothing about IBS as such, but just because it was right in the middle of the on-going Covid pandemic!

It was accepted. One year later I was called again. It was then I contacted the Court again asking for advice about a Medical Exemption owing to my chronic condition. Just asking "what procedure did I need to follow", and very briefly (2 sentences) mentioning that my condition impacted my daily life quite severely and unpredictably.

I received a reply to tell me I had been exempted.

I add this here in case it's helpful to anyone else particularly in the UK. As I am not familiar with the US jury duty requirements and protocol.

[Luisa22]

Jess, it can still be IBS even when doctors find 'nothing wrong'. We then get put in the "IBS bin" lol.

That's what doctors usually come up with when they can't find a cause for bowel problems.

What you need is for this to go on your medical records i.e. no clinical signs found but likely irritable bowel syndrome. (or something like that,)

I don't know how difficult or easy it is to speak to your doctor but it would be good to get this down on records. Or at least know what the doctor is thinking!

It's awful that there isn't enough feedback any more between doctors and patients. I could go on for ages about it but you are lucky because I won't!

And yes, being called for jury duty gave me the worst anxiety. I had to wait a year because I put it off the first year owing to Covid. I kept trying to forget about it but it was always at the back of my mind. So I was mightily relieved when I just wrote my short description of what I have going on (literally one paragraph) to the Court, and was given exemption.

I expected that they'd need all kinds of evidence and back up to what I told them, and I'd have to get on to the doctor to email them or whatever, but they didn't. I don't know if what happened to me is common or what. But I am months off 70 now so don't know if that made a difference?

[Rod2020]

yeah I,ve been cited for jury duty and feel I can,t go because of ibs issues they won,t accept a brief summary from docs so I’m waiting on a call from my gp about it hoping they can give me a letter to excuse me .