Jury Summons

[Angst]

I received a jury summons yesterday.  Not sure if I can deal with this. Is having OCD a valid excuse not to attend?

[dksea]

I don’t know the rules for jury duty in the UK so I can’t really comment on that part, but my question to you is why do you think you can’t do it?

[Lost_in_a_Dark_Maze]

I would imagine that if you explained your circumstances they would exempt you from jury service.

[paradoxer]

Probably a note from a doctor. 

[Ashley]

6 hours ago, Angst said:

I received a jury summons yesterday.  Not sure if I can deal with this. Is having OCD a valid excuse not to attend?

OCD itself wouldn't exempt you, but when I looked at this a few years ago for someone, if they can show serving at this time would considerable anxiety then they were able to defer. But they were warned they could be called again in the future if memory serves me. 

Is there a number on the summons notice? I am happy to make a generic enquiry without giving them your name if you need me to.

[felix4]

32 minutes ago, Ashley said:

OCD itself wouldn't exempt you

Knowing just how debilitating and severe OCD can get, and the power it can have over us,  I am amazed by this!

[Angst]

Thanks for the offer Ashley. The form only indicates exemption on mental health grounds under the Mental Capacity Act. I am highly dubious about arguing under those grounds because of the implications for things like consent to medical treatment and financial and insurance contracts.  So a clarification would be very useful.

Thanks for the response folks. I think clarification of the rules would be helpful. And the reason  for exemption would be the exacerbation of a mental health condition.

Edited July 14, 2019 by Angst

[Handy]

Gov.uk says you need a letter from your doctor. 

You could look up other types of excuses & use those if you qualify.  

[dksea]

On 15/07/2019 at 05:33, felix4 said:

Knowing just how debilitating and severe OCD can get, and the power it can have over us,  I am amazed by this!

I don't think OCD should be an automatic disqualifier, I think it would discourage participation in civil activities like this by people with mental health disorders and our perspectives can be invaluable.  Further, its good for us to challenge the idea both for ourselves and for society, that we can't do these things.

Certainly if the person is in a particularly bad point in their OCD journey where it would be a burden they should be excused, but that should be true of any person facing significant hardship.  It sounds like a doctors notice is all thats needed, so that should hopefully cover most circumstances.

But I also would encourage Angst to really consider whether they can use this as an opportunity to help themselves in their recovery.  Maybe it is too hard right now, and thats fair, but maybe its just challenging enough to be worth doing. 

[felix4]

56 minutes ago, dksea said:

I don't think OCD should be an automatic disqualifier, I think it would discourage participation in civil activities like this by people with mental health disorders and our perspectives can be invaluable.  Further, its good for us to challenge the idea both for ourselves and for society, that we can't do these things.

I agree, I just worried that it were the other extreme, where even the severest case of OCD wouldn't exempt you.

[Angst]

The exemptions on mental health grounds are basically if you are sectioned or a resident in an institution because of a mental disorder or in receipt of a community treatment order or be subject to guardianship or lack intellectual/cognitive capacity so as you cannot retain information in order to make a decision.

I am in favour of the jury system. It took a long time establishing it  in England and the UK and its spread to other countries such as the USA. And a long time to extend the principle of across a section of the population to sit on them. It it is a minority way for judicial decision making. And the automatic exemption or exclusion of those with mental health diagnoses would exclude millions. So the hassles of achieving a limited exemption is probably worth it.

Edited July 16, 2019 by Angst

[Wonderer]

I have been summoned 4 times for jury duty, each time I sent them a letter explaining that I suffered with depression and anxiety and felt a criminal trail would be detrimental to my mental health. They accepted it each time and all was fine, no need to send a doctors letter either.x

[Angst]

Wow. Four times. Me once. And I am quite an old bloke. I will do that. I need to post tomorrow. I was talking myself into a representative of the mentally ill keen for democratic rights. But I know myself and need to protect myself. Thank you.

[Mini]

I have received a jury summons today and don't think I can do it. I have always had a fear of jury service and am currently depressed and not sleeping. I am worried that this would cause me to deteriorate even further. 

Is it ok to explain this and hopefully get an exemption?

I wouldn't normally do this but I really feel too unwell.

[Robin43]

Hi @Mini, I had a similar situation a couple of years ago-I received a letter to attend Jury Service but I wrote back just stating that I couldn't due to my mental health condition and I never heard anything more about it after that. Hope that helps, and take care.

[Mini]

Thanks so much @Robin43for your quick response. I hope you don't mind me asking, did you go into much detail or just keep it high level?

[Angst]

Hi Mini

I didn’t attend a jury trial. I was negotiating an exemption but at the same time I got a post saying I had to attend. Then another post saying that I didn’t have to attend as they had too many jurors on their books for the period. They apologised for this and said if I wanted I would be exempt from jury service. I think Robin43 and wonderers have the answer. Keep it general. I’ve moved twice in the past four years so I don’t have the paperwork. Presumably it will be on the system. I’m in a better place than four years ago so wouldn’t bother me now. Just to repeat myself I would keep the request at a high level. 

Edited March 1 by Angst

[Mini]

Thanks @Angst for the advice.

[Noah green]

I would try my hardest to get out of Jury duty. With having these issues I think it would be too triggering. I challenge myself everyday in the world of work and family life. I don't need added stress. 

[Robin43]

Hi @Minino problem at all, happy to help. I just kept it really general and said I would not be well enough to attend as I suffer from severe OCD, Anxiety and Depression. That was all I said and I jever heard another word. Hope that helps.

[Mini]

Thanks so much @Robin43, that's really helpful. Have a lovely weekend.