I received a jury duty notice in the mail today and am very nervous about going. I would like to ask my Endo for a note to get excused. Has anyone ever done this before? Did your doctor give you a hard time about it? I have a difficult time keeping my numbers regular on a normal day. It makes me very nervous to be in a restricted court room where I may not be able to check my sugars when I like or eat something when I get low. How should I go about getting a note from my Endo? Would I need to make an appt or over the phone would be ok you think? Thank you in advance. Very anxious about the whole thing.
It won't help I tried that myself lol. Endo may write a note, but if the courts can accomodate you, and they will, it won't help. Actually it went very well, I served 4 days on a criminal case, at times I just reduced my basal. I had snacks in my purse and we had a LOT of breaks. We had some other people with other issues not D related, but the court was VERY accomodating for these individuals as well. There was a type 2 diabetic also on my jury panel.
I would just call the office and tell them your request and see what they suggest.
I actually was called recently too. I ended up being called off (which I guess is not unusual) but I did some thinking about how I would handle things. I was nervous too. Not only am I a Type 1 on a pump, but I'm also a vegetarian and in general pretty used to being able to self-determine. What I decided to do was to go ahead if they called me and then when they do the interviews of potential jurors I would tell them exactly what I need. (Basically nobody is asking me to remove my pump and I need to be able to test whenever needed and to eat glucose tablets if low. I would explain that one of the symptoms of lows is to be cognitively impaired and they don't want that. I would also request vegetarian meal though I'm sure they are used to that. If they decided I was too much of a pain in the butt and wanted to dismiss me, so be it.). Good luck to you.
Christy is right on. They know how to handle all medical stuff. I think it is our duty to serve. The court is always ready to assist and they are prepared for lots of health problems and understand all the ADA stuff. Hate to say it, but just do it.
I think Christy was lucky. It's really the luck of the draw. Court personnel come in all stripes and some are into their own power. I don't know about Rae but I live in a small rural town and I wasn't sure at all they'd understand anything medical (or care). Yes, we have the ADA on our side but I'd hate it to come to a battle over that. Personally my life would be a lot easier without it , and without getting political I don't happen to believe it is my "duty to serve". I didn't think the endo letter was going to hold weight because I read the description of what gets you out of jury duty and as long as you are "able to perform" you don't get excused from that initial appearance That's why I shared my own strategy about how I would be honest and upfront in sharing things which hopefully would have a side effect of making me too much of a pain in the butt for them to want. (I also have other views that might also disqualify me, but then that would be getting political!
The court dismissed one woman who had just literally gotten out of the hospital for heart surgery and had some short term memory issues as well. Other than that during jury selection, they picked a man whose wife just found out she had cancer, who was going to be meeting with her surgeon during the course of the trial. The judge dismissed the case early that day so he could take her. But I agree, I think it is also relative to where you live too. I live in a pretty large city. I'd just be up front when u go, chances are you might not ever HAVE to serve. But if you are, and they go through jury selection, and IF you feel something about your D will impair your ability to serve, then speak up and the court will take your requests into consideration, Just don't count on it getting you out.
I take another side. The ADA has been in effect for 20? years. The courts train their folks extensively on dealing with medical problems of all sorts. They should never come in "all stripes." The world, especially government entities, are told and expected to do the right thing. They may not, but I would not want to be around when they don't.
Sometimes we have to have faith. Diabetics have a lot of needs, but so do those with specific religious needs, those with high blood pressure, heart problems, allergies, vegetarians, vegans..I could list things forever. If everyone with a medical problem(or life style choice)of importance was excused, could we seat an impartial jury of 12 for any trial?
I still think it is duty and lots of folks with medical conditions complete that duty, as should diabetics.
I think it's a matter of representation. Should blacks be allowed/required on juries? Yes. Should women be allowed/required on juries? Yes. Should poor people be allowed/required on juries? Yes. Should diabetics be allowed/required on juries? I think, yes. If you were black, would you want to be tried in a district that excluded blacks from the jury? If you were a diabetic, would you want to be tried in a court that excluded diabetics from the jury?
I have always showed up for Jury duty, ready and willing to serve. In the course of my work, I've also spent time in several courtrooms, and far more time in deposition rooms, as a witness on a wide variety of cases (you'd be surprised how wide). In every event, no problem with my diabetes supplies. Cellphones are a no-no in most courtrooms in my area... make sure nobody mistakes your bg meter for a cellphone!
I personally don'r subscribe to doing it just because it is my duty. I got a notice once and it was far enough in advanve that my DR was able to write a letter. I live in a large city so that's probably one of the reasons it was so easy to get out of it. Of course, I also have more problems that contributed to getting a "pass" from jury duty: irritable bowel, chronic pain amd (most of all) depression. I am now excluded fo0r life! Soooooo, I would ask your DR for a letter and see what happens. (Not one speck of guilt in the years since.)
Lois
Thank you all for your quick replies. I also believe you were very lucky Christy, if I only knew things would work out for me as they did for you. I just don't do well out of my routine and the unknown. You are right Zoe, I should probably call the office and let them know my concerns and request. That is a great idea. But also like you said, I won't know what kind of court personnel I will have to deal with once I get there. I do not have much trust at all in our system. Here's a bit of a different situation but all in the same realm; I've read of 2 people who had been arrested who, held under our local police/judicial system, have died this year because of not getting the proper diabetes treatment they had required. I know that is extreme but most people could care less if you have Type 1 diabetes and most don't know what it is in the first place. I do not have faith that I would be taken seriously if something happened. I have heard of some courts not letting you take your meter in because of the lancets. That scares me. I am NOT giving up my meter, or my insulin or any snacks that I may need and I am afraid that could cause problems. I live on the outskirts of a big city but have to serve in the city. Another annoyance.
Sorry Spock but I have to whole heartily politely disagree with you about this being my duty. It is sooo not my duty. They just like to make it sound like it is. I have followed the laws all my life and I do not feel it is my "duty" to risk MY health and undergo undo anxiety & stress for someone who cannot obviously follow the same laws. There are plenty of people who would be glad to serve and I should not get in trouble with the law just because I do not feel that I can. I should have rights about this too.
I have to think this one through to see what I am going to do. Maybe I will be lucky and not have to go at all. But I guess if nothing works and if I have to go, then I have to go and will pray that things will go ok. I really hate this.
I worked for the very rural county I live in for five years, and came in contact with lots of different people doing lots of different jobs. I think most of the people I met were well intentioned and we all tried to work together in our small area. I worked for Behavioral Health and we had a fair amount of interaction with the Criminal Justice system with a fair degree of mutual respect despite (sometimes radically different) views and priorities, but this isn't always the case. And in addition a lot of us were just winging it with limited resources and thus limited training in things such as ADA requirements.
As for the "duty" part, like I said that would get way too political. Let's just say I don't believe in, support or align myself with a lot of things this (or other) governments stand for. The trial I think I might have been called for was a controversial murder trial and I would have had a couple of ethical issues that wouldn't make me a good (impartial) juror.
That was so wrong of the court to not let that man whose wife had cancer be dismissed. They take things way too far about what is allowable. Yes you are so right, I won't count on anything I may say to get me dismissed.
Thank you Zoe, you have a very calming tone in your replies. Thank you for sharing your strategy. They addressed some of the same concerns I have.
Thank you Lois. I would not feel guilty either if I get excused. I have done plenty in my life to be a good citizen.
More people try to get excused than are willing to serve, for all kinds of reasons.
There is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States who is diabetic and sits on that court without special treatment. She is Sonia Sotomayor and I celebrate her for her service.
For jury duty, I just serve if asked. Not because I feel a duty so much, but because if I were to be on trial with a jury deciding my fate, I'd like someone like myself to be on that jury.
I personally would not asked to be released from jury because of Type 1, but you have to do what you think is right for you. I have only been called to jury duty once. When I got called up for a case, I mentioned to the judge that I had Type 1 diabetes. She indicated that they would accommodate whatever I needed. When I reported the next day for the trial,the case had been dismissed because the witnesses were too scared to testify and disappeared. So the case was dismissed.
I had my meter and glucose tabs with me at all times and had no problems with security. I have never once in my life been caught or scolded for testing my BG or discreetly eating a glucose tab.
But you have to decide what’s right with you. Call your doctor’s office and see what they say.
LOL everyday going through security at the court house I had to show them my meter and pump, because NO electronics are allowed, but I had no issues with being allowed to keep them. I just explained it's my insulim pump and glucose meter, both of which I need because of my diabetes, and its like ok, go on. End of story. Like I said LOL it was something I had to go through literally EVERY Day, but so many people pass through the courts there, it's not like they are going to remember, and I'd rather be safe with security than sorry.
I have served jury duty and found it to be a rewarding experience. Before serving I would have done almost anything to get out of it. But all that was before D, before I was insulin dependant and wearing a pump.
Today it is a different story. Today I have bg to test, meal requirements to consider and bolus decisions to make. I have to be concerned about maintaining a presence of mind to listen to and understand the testimony and evidence given which means no lows or extreme highs to effect my thinking.
I would still serve if I was able but would want to know that they can accommodate my testing, diet, and treatment needs and that they understand how an out of whack bg might effect my performance. I know I could maintain good bg levels but would need to be allowed to.
If you decide to try to be excused don't feel badly after all sometimes D is not a excuse it is a reason. The decision to serve is a personal one for which no one should be judged no matter what they decide
Gary
Contact the court clerk and talk to them. If you are on a pump, the noise and distraction may preclude from serving. It is really up to the judge and what he or she is willing allow in the room. So contact the clerks office to see.
I've read of 2 people who had been arrested who, held under our local police/judicial system, have died this year because of not getting the proper diabetes treatment they had required.
This is EXACTLY why we need to be on the juries.
If diabetics are self-excluding from juries or excluded by rule from juries (it doesn't matter which, result is the same), then the man KNOWS he doesn't have to treat us right in any circumstance.