On American Jury Duty and Doctors' Letters to the Contrary

Question

In the United States, can someone be legitimately be summoned for jury duty when a doctor provided a letter with medical reasons to the contrary?

Answer 1

This will be highly dependent on the particular state, county, and city where you reside and which court summoned you.

It is of course "legitimate" for any eligible citizen to be summoned. However, a summons does not directly mean you are required to serve as a juror. It means that you are required to respond, either by showing up at the appointed time or by following the directions to request a postponement or to be excused from service.

Postponements are usually granted automatically (the first time) without any documentation required. If you have a medical condition which you expect to be resolved within a few months, you can just request a postponement, and do your jury service later.

You can also request to be excused entirely, meaning you will not be required to serve. (Although you may be summoned again later, usually after at least a year, at which point you'd need to request another excuse.) Requests to be excused are administratively reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and the requirements for being granted one vary from court to court.

In some places, a request can easily be made online and will likely be granted with little friction, especially with documentation like a letter from a doctor explaining why you are medically unfit to serve. In other places, the process may be more involved or stringent.

If you receive a summons, it will include instructions for requesting a postponement or excuse from service. These instructions will vary depending on the court that has summoned you (eg city, county, state, or federal court), so they may be different from summons you've received before.

If you are medically unfit for service, follow the summons's instructions and submit any required and/or optional documentation.

Courts understand that people are humans, have obligations and disabilities, and are generally not trying to ruin anyone's life. But like any bureaucratic institution, you have to follow the established process.

Answer 2

Yes. Normally, you have to appear and offer up your explanation while you are subject to cross-examination.

Answer 3

It depends on your medical condition

If you can or can not serve as a juror is up to the courts to decide. For this, bringing a medical note that explains what you can or can't do can help. In general, the requirements are simple:

To be legally qualified for jury service, an individual must:

• be a United States citizen;
• be at least 18 years of age;
• have resided primarily in the judicial district for at least one year at the time of completion of the qualification questionnaire;
• be able to adequately read, write, understand, and speak the English language;
• have no disqualifying mental or physical condition that cannot be addressed with an accommodation;
• not currently be subject to felony charges punishable by imprisonment for more than one year; and
• never have been convicted of a felony (unless civil rights have been legally restored or never were lost in the jurisdiction of conviction).

Let's iterate through some examples of what could be disqualifying mental or physical conditions:

Alice has deficient kidneys. She needs to go to dialysis every day for 2 hours. The condition won't ever go away. With the proper doctor's notes she can request to not serve Jury duty, and it is likely to be granted.

Bob is cognitively challenged and on a standard IQ test, he tests below 80 points. Medical papers might assist in getting him freed of jury duty for he might not follow the proceedings properly, but technically there is no minimum IQ required. However, if Bob is unable to read, write, understand, or speak coherently, his low capacity could result in dismissal.

Charly has a broken leg. The doctor's note says he shouldn't move the leg at all for four weeks. His Jury Duty might be postponed for some months.

Dorothy has panic attacks whenever she is in a locked room. The doctor's note specifies which medication she requires to be able to prevent a panic attack when she is on the jury stand. The court needs to either accommodate her condition (such as by making sure the medication is there for her) or otherwise make sure she can follow the proceedings and deliberations, or dismiss her on medical reasons.

Process to follow

To get the dismissal for medical reasons, you have to appear and give your explanation as to why you can't serve in person, with the doctor's note. If you are unable to appear (such as Charly in the Hospital), you have to inform the court in a timely manner, such as by calling in and sending the required documentation at the earliest possible time.

The exact details are regulated in the court rules for each court. The Jury summons should contain the required forms and addresses to request postponement or dismissal for disability. If the forms are missing, at least a contact address should be in the letter to request assistance.