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I was wondering if anyone here has had experiences with this. I just received a summons for Jury Duty. I am worried about this. What if I arrive late because I have to make some stops?  What happens if I need to use a bathroom--I just cant get up and run whenever the urge strikes ??!!

 Reply posted for Mom2MNem.

My Dr. always puts " irregular bowel function" With that going for you, nobody wants you. I only have 1 more possible summons to get out of  because when you're 75 you can opt out because of age. Nobody wants an old lady.

 Reply posted for Mom2MNem.

Very timely that I saw this post now. I had been called earlier in the year and got an extension.  Then I got another summons and I was called to jury duty this week, didn't think I could request another extension.  I was VERY stressed about going and, of course, am in the middle of a flare!!

I left very early to get there on time; as predicted had to stop urgently at a fast food restaurant on the way to the court and 'clean up'. (Luckily I always carry clothes/wipes)  When I got to the court, I checked in and when the line dwindled down - went up and talked to the court clerk.

They gave me another extension and told me to get a doctors note to attach to the next summons I get and I could be excluded permanently.

Just the anxiety of thinking of sitting in the jury box probably made it worse....but often, I don't have the luxury of raising my hand to ask to be excused - I need to go NOW....so that wouldn't work for me.

What an embarrasing, humiliating and frustrating disease.  It really does rule your life and activities.

 Reply posted for Mom2MNem.

Lisa, I was called to be on a Jury a few years ago.  I have UC so I never thought i'd be able to get through the process let alone sit on a Jury.  After being selected we were asked if anyone had any health concerns, then i spoke up.  The Judge said if i had to leave the room just raise my hand.  A couple of times i had to raise my hand.  I didn't want to disrupt the proceeding, but when you have UC you don't have alot of choices.  I got through the Trial, and was very happy I decided to do my civic duty.  You'll be fine, just make them aware of your situation.  Good luck Lisa 

 Reply posted for Mom2MNem.

I fell your pain and anxiety!  I, too, was summoned twice within a year...  both, while I was in active flares.  My primary care physician (not my GI doc) wrote a letter addressed to the court to ask that I be excused from duty because of a medical condition, specifically ulcerative colitis flare.  When I sent this to the Clerk of the Court, I was excused.  Hope this helps.

 Reply posted for Mom2MNem.

I highly recommend that you tell the authorities in advance. You can call and discuss it with a person at the courthouse(your jury duty notice will have a number). And you can tell your problem to the judge when you are being considered for jury duty. They may excuse you, or else say yes, you can go whenever you need do. They also have doctors connected with jury duty. If you name your problem, they should react realistically. I have found jury duty officials sympathetic to the realities of illness. It is your right to have your physical condition considered.

 Reply posted for dpain.

Well, I think it worked. In our system, you submit a note and if you DON'T hear from them , you don't have to report for Jury Duty. I was nervous because I received and submitted my letter later than I would have liked.  When I didn't get a response, I wasn't sure if my letter arrived late. I was sure I wouldn't show up and then get a call asking me where I was--LOL. But.... no letter or call, so I was excused. I am so glad. My main concern was how I was going to get there in the first place -especially because the routes I would need to take would be through desolate areas much of the time with not many restrooms on the way!

 Reply posted for jillington.

Jillington,  I had that situation happen when I was on Jury Duty.  If the Judge knows ahead of time, then it shouldn't be a problem, since there is nothing you can do about it at the time.  I didn't feel any shame at all, it was only a brief interuption which didn't cause any serious problems.  I did feel like the attention was taken away from the case, and placed on me.  Being the shy guy i'am lol.  Once I was back in the Jury box, things got back to business.

 Reply posted for Mom2MNem.

Mom2MNem  I had Jury Duty last year for a few days.  It was a very strange, and interesting time.  My Colitis was in full swing during the whole process.  You can imagine how i felt sitting there obsessing over when the need to use the restroom would come.  The stress of that made me feel like pretty much on edge the whole time.  During the Jury selection the Judge asked if there was anyone who had any issues or health concerns so a few of us raised our hands.  Once I told him that I had Ulcerative Colitis he informed me that if I needed to go just raise my hand.  Since the trial wasn't a major event, I felt relieved to the point where I felt comfortable being there.  The first day wasn't too bad, so raising my hand wasn't a problem.  Then we broke for lunch.  After we returned I felt ok.  The next day my stomach was cramping alittle, so I didn't feel all that great.  The trial was running alittle long in my opinion, so things were begining to simmer as it were.  My belly began to fill up with air, and the pressure was really starting to bother me.  The person sitting next to me ask me if I was ok, and I told her I was feeling the need to hit the bathroom.  Just as I said that the Judge noticed how I was leaning over to one side. So as I stood up to leave for the bathroom, I let out this huge fart, then it was like holly crap.  Good thing the Bailif was on top of his game.  I just made it.  I got through it, and we decided that the man on trial was guilty.

 Reply posted for Trissy.

Well, I have been trying to contact my Dr. since posting here. I finally, after 3 attempts in 2 week, got a hold of someone in the office to promise to respond. That was unusual since my  Doc has been known to call late into the night whenever his patients call.  I am picking up my letter tomorrow. They are  including the fact that I have trouble sitting for long periods due to the sacroiliitis from the Crohns. Hopefully this works!

 Reply posted for Mom2MNem.

Having been called to Jury Duty before, I knew that there would be no way that I would be able to sit through a trial if I was placed on one.  I would prefer to be able to do this, but you cannot just get up in the middle of a trial and go to the restroom whenever you get the urge.  Face it, the urge for some Crohn's & UC folks is immediate and frequent. 

I just had my GI fill out the summons stating that I wasn't able to do jury duty for physical reasons.  There's no shame in considering this a handicap, it is.  I'm sure no lawyer wants to have the chance of having their case thrown out just because someone had to interrupt proceedings to go poo!

If you're told you must still report to the courthouse, they do a small interview process if your number is called, and you can explain to them then what the problem is.  I would be sure not to be embarrassed about it and be as blunt and descriptive as possible, because it's better to do that  behind closed doors than not be dismissed from the trial and have an accident in the juror's box.

Best of luck.

 Reply posted for Trissy.

Thanks for your reply. I was hoping that would be an option, but I wasn't sure how strict they were about that. Just reading the Jury notice made me feel like they weren't going to take any excuses. I did call my GI this morning and explained the situation. They  left word for him to call me back and asked when I needed the letter.  I am crossing my fingers that this works.  

 Reply posted for Mom2MNem.

I got a Dr's note explaining my situation which excused me from jury duty.