Jury Duty and Tinnitus

How would you feel, if you had to sit on a jury for a week or more, perhaps sequestered in a hotel, with raging tinnitus? Would you ask your doctor for a note to be excused? Before I had tinnitus, I served on juries, grand juries, and eventually was diagnosed with something that got me permanently excused in my state.

Of course, it's not guaranteed to work with tinnitus, but a doctor's note will probably be accepted. Ask the doctor to put down that you have hyperacusis, hearing loss, etc., as well. Have the doctor write whatever he/she thinks will be relevant for getting you excused. Take the to the county clerk's office, before the date you are expected to appear.

Needless to say, if you feel very strongly that it is your civic responsibility to serve on a jury, when summoned, regardless of tinnitus, by all means do so.

 

That is something I was wondering about so thank you for bringing the topic up.
Love glynis

 

I received jury duty notice recently, so I phoned my audiologist to request a note to be excused. A receptionist called me back the next day to inform me that people with unilateral hearing loss cannot be excused from serving and the doctor could not provide a note. I emailed the doctor directly then and reminded her that I also have tinnitus and hyperacusis in addition to single sided deafness. No response from the doctor.

I hoped that I would not be called upon to appear but I did have to go to the courthouse. I sat through the selection process in a very small, quiet courtroom. I could hear most but not all of the conversation. Thankfully, my number was not drawn and I was not required to serve. I know that there are devices to assist people with hearing impairments in the courtroom. I would have to use written transcript though, as I would not be able to deal with headphones for eight hours a day because my deaf ear reacts to every sound I hear in my good ear. Long phone calls annoy me.
I have been dealing with these ear issues for almost five years now and the sad reality is that my social and recreational options are reduced but I do not receive a pass from requirements such as work or jury duty.

 

Or you can wear a shirt with kill em all let god sort em out that will get you excused

 

I was sent a letter to attend jury service some years ago. My tinnitus is variable from complete silence, mild, moderate severe and extremely severe. I never know what it's going to be like from day to day and accept this. I sent a letter to the jury clerk and explained my medical condition with copies of letters from my consultant, giving details of my tinnitus. Severe bilateral, that is variable intensity which I have had for many years. Medication I am on because of it clonazepam and using white noise generators and registered as an out-patient.

I never heard from them again although it would be something I'd like to attend. However, when my tinnitus is severe, I know jury service is something that I couldn't cope with.

Michael

 

In the first round of questioning I made a strongly worded and biased comment to the judge as to my premature feeling that the man was undeniably guilty or we wouldn't be here in the first place. I was culled.

 

Because of the severity of my tinnitus/hyperacusis my doctor signs off on the jury notice to send back to the courts. Hearing loss does not qualify. I have probably been sent three notices since 2002. Each time the excuse has been accepted. If the judge wants he can make the person appear in court. I wasn't worried because I kept a taped version of tinnitus sounds with a bose headset.

I think it is important to have tinnitus recognized as a serious disorder.

 

For the second time in my life, I received a court summons over Christmas to attend jury service starting in February. The letter stated that I must reply within 7 days, whether I will be attending or ask to be excused giving reasonable grounds which will be looked into. Failure to reply within 7 days will result in a £1000 fine.

As I explained in my previous post on this thread, many years ago when I was living in London, I received a letter to attend jury service. Like then, I sent copies of letters from ENT consultant and GP, explaining that I have severe bi-lateral tinnitus which is extremely variable in intensity, so no two days are the same, which can make concentration difficult and that I also take Clonazepam when it is severe.

I received a letter from the jury clerk, saying on this occasion I have been excused from attending jury service.

Michael

 

Doctor's note did it for me. I sent it to the court to ask to be excused, the court agreed and said they have taken me off the system and I won't be bothered again.