Call to jury duty with alzheimer's and dementia. I received a letter today stated that I must be a juror for starting on September 16. I am the caregiver for an 80-year-old with dementia and Alzheimer's who does not need to be alone at all. Unfortunately, there seems to be no way at all out of this commitment, meaning that I will be forced to spend over $200 a day to put her in an Adult Day Care facility for Mom for the duration of the trial. There is no place at all on the juror's questionnaire to express my concerns. I do not want to go to jail for non-compliance! What other other options for daily care for her are available?
If they will give you no quarter, then I think you must do whatever you would do if you were hospitalized for a few days. Hopefully you have a backup plan . . .
I would never do that.
Re-read the instructions, follow the financial hardship part.
Can you take your patient to the courthouse in a wheelchair that day?
Potential jurors are notified to appear on a certain date. We all sit around for hours waiting and waiting. Some are called; some aren't. Some fall asleep. Some play with their electronic gadgets. One by one, people are randomlyh called to be impanelled.
The attorneys for each side ask various questions, such as whether or not the potential jurors know the plaintiff, defendant and/or their attorneys, whether they've been situations similar to the case, etc. It's my understanding that another question typically asked is whether or not there are any impediments to serving. That's when you explain your situation.
After all the trials scheduled for that jury term are impaneled, the rest are sent home.
But I would try to avoid even having to go to the courthouse. I would call the clerk of the Circuit Court, or whatever court sent you the letter, and explain your situation. You may be asked to provide documentation, in which case call your patient's doctor and ask for a letter addressed to the court. If the doctor will send it directly to the court, that's great, but ask for a copy for your records as well.
There's another way which is kind of round-about, and that's to call the clerk's office and tell them you have to bring with you on Sept. 16 the patient you care for, and that you'll need special accommodations. You'll need to know where the wheelchair ramp is, oxygen hookup (if she's on oxygen), a place for her to nap during the day, special meals ..... list everything she has at home that you would need.
More than likely someone will be doing a reality check and tell you that you can be excused, but would need to document that you're caring for this person.
I went to the initial date. At that time, they have us fill out another form. At that time, the court employee discusses who can be excused and what is required. One of those who can be excused are full-time caregivers who is at the home full-time and caregiving the elderly. To be excused, the elderly's doctor must write a certified letter on the clinic's letterhead stating that so-and-so is the primary caregiver of the patient so-and-so. This letter Must Be Sealed in the clinic's envelope and turned in sealed. There is a box in the jury's room that you can drop it off. Again - this is from here. It may be different in your area.
So, you may need to put your mom in the Adult Day Care for that day, Sept 16. Please get a receipt and bring it with you. Show that not only are you a full time caregiver but it will also be a hardship to pay this amount every time you are called in for jury duty. I would also have in hand before the 16th, a certified letter from her doctor, sealed in the envelope (proof it wasn't tampered). Just in case....
FYI, this is how tedious it can get. In our jury pool, there was one person who works for the court - in the file room. Every time we had to show up for court for the next 16 months, in front of the judge and the lawyers and the person in trial, this person had to Every Single Time raise her hand and asked to be excused. And they will ask why, and she will say that she works for the court in the file room. And every time, she gets excused. Hello? Just permanently excuse her! (Unless they figure she might quit her job in the next 16 months???)