Jury Duty - Bipolar

AthAnRi

Hi,

I have recently been called to for jury duty. I have to show up on the 27th of April and there after.

However I was reading the form and it said that people that suffer from a mental illness are ineligable for Jury duty.

I was just wondering am i ineligable? I am currently in a "stable state" of Bipolar and have been for almost two years, however I do see a doctor every 4 months for a checkup.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

PCPhoto

are you trying to find out if:

A) you are exempt,
if you can get out of doing jury duty or
C) if you can do it despite being diagnosed as being bipolar ("stable state")

AthAnRi

PCPhoto wrote: »

are you trying to find out if:

A) you are exempt,
if you can get out of doing jury duty or
C) if you can do it despite being diagnosed as being bipolar ("stable state")

Sorry. C) If i can do it despite being diagnosed as being bipolar?

seamus

The relevant piece of legislation states that your are ineligible if your are:

A person who suffers or has suffered from mental illness or mental disability and on account of that condition either—
( a ) is resident in a hospital or other similar institution, or
( b ) regularly attends for treatment by a medical practitioner.

So by that account, since you "have suffered" from mental illness and regularly attend your doctor on account of that condition, you are ineligible for jury service.

This doesn't mean that you can "get out of it" if you want to, it means that legally you are not permitted to take part. You should contact your doctor and ask him for a relevant certificate which you can send into the office who issued the jury service notification.

If you really want to do it, then it's a matter for your own conscience and whether you think you're up to it if you get called for a particularly long trial. There would also be some hypocrisy in illegally attending jury duty because you feel civilly or morally obliged.

On the other hand, you could argue that you don't regularly attend your doctor for treatment (instead only for a checkup) - especially if you're not on any medication.

drkpower

seamus wrote: »

On the other hand, you could argue that you don't regularly attend your doctor for treatment (instead only for a checkup) - especially if you're not on any medication.

That might be a little dubious! It is an offence to 'knowingly' sit on a jury when illegible. And you are ineligible if you attend a doc 'regularly' 'as a consequence of that condition' (being mental illness). As 'regularly' is not defined, one would have to suspect that visit to a doc, even if that is to obtain a repeat prescription for medication related to your illness, or for a check-up in respect of your mental health, such attendance would be considered both 'regular' and 'as a consequence of the illness'.

But to be honest, it is absolutely ridiculous that the law is still framed in this manner. As the LAw Reform Commisiion have stated, 'the overriding consideration should be the capacity of the juror to perform his or her duties and that there should be no automatic exclusion on the grounds of impaired mental health.' The fact that people with stable mental health issues (perhaps stable for many years, through many of life's trials and tribulations) are considered unable to sit on a jury is, well, bonkers.

http://www.lawreform.ie/_fileupload/consultation%20papers/LRC%20JuriesCP%20full.pdf

eagle_&_bear

hi there,

If you have been called for a criminal matter, then, if you decide to attend, you will present in the Criminal Courts of Justice complex with your yellow sheet on the morning. You will be brought into the Jury room and in time,if your number is called out you will be brough upto Court Room number 7 before Judge Ryan who always deals with all the Jury Swearings. Judge Ryan is absolutely lovely and she always says in her welcoming remarks to you that if you have any concerns on sitting on a jury to come upto her if you are called up and before you swear on the bible/khoran etc you go upto her and explain to her, she will decide if you can sit or not. If Judge Ryan says it is ok to sit then fine - off you go, if you are happy to.

On the other hand, if Judge Ryan says 'no' then she will either ask you to return to the jury room or she will discharge you (which means you can go home).

I suppose, it is really a matter for you and how you feel with this illness. If you say it to the judge then you can't be held wrong. I see that you are from Galway (from your profile on here) but the same provisions and principles apply in this country so go up and speak to the Judge!

Obviously if you feel that this would embarrass you or cause you to feel uncomfortable then speak to your GP and make the best decision for you. Jury processess should not put you under pressure (At the beginning anyway)

I wish you all the best

AthAnRi

Thanks Everyone that helped me out a lot. God Bless.