Jury duty

Flugelhorn

tacpot12 said:

If, in your doctor's opinion, doing your jury duty would harm your mental health, your doctor should provide you with the evidence.

If they don't respond in time, you can complain to them by following their published complaints procedure. In your complaint, your should ask them to provide the evidence anyway as a failure to attend jury service can result in a fine of upto £1,000, and a Community Service Order if the fine isn't paid. At least with evidence, you stand a chance to reducing the fine (possibly to zero) if the Court accepts that it was not your fault that the doctor provided you with their evidence too late to submit to the Court.

You can always do the jury service, and you might find it helps your mental health to get out into the real world and perform a worthwhile role in our civil society. 

this is private work if OP is  requesting an opinion - not part of NHS contract so not part of the complaints procedure - such a report / statement would be chargeable 

If they want an extract / summary from notes then they  are entitled to that for free - however it would have to be reviewed for 3rd party references and is generally not a priority. 

TripleH

Op, is it worth going down to the court with  the prescription for your medication, ID and the letter and explaining there? (Assuming you are able to make the journey).

This might be cleared up quickly, but at least you can present the tangible information to them and explain your situation rather than be marked as 'non-communicative'.

Mnoee

TripleH said:

Op, is it worth going down to the court with  the prescription for your medication, ID and the letter and explaining there? (Assuming you are able to make the journey).

This might be cleared up quickly, but at least you can present the tangible information to them and explain your situation rather than be marked as 'non-communicative'.

This thread is a month old, not every mental health diagnosis comes with a prescription and even if meds are involved I wouldn't expect a judge to know fluoxetine from clozapine, or what each might be prescribed for - and either one wouldn't necessarily exclude someone from jury duty. 

sheramber

TripleH said:

Op, is it worth going down to the court with  the prescription for your medication, ID and the letter and explaining there? (Assuming you are able to make the journey).

This might be cleared up quickly, but at least you can present the tangible information to them and explain your situation rather than be marked as 'non-communicative'.

The OP had to reply by 25 September so I expect it has been sorted one way or another.

Undervalued

gadget88 said:

Well I won’t disclose what mental health issues I have but I take medication for them and this has went on a week and causing me extreme distress. I shouldn’t be forced to do this I googled it and people simply showed they had x mental health issue and that was enough. Doesn’t matter if someone on a forum thinks it’s not valid. Problem is it’s getting that letter or medical summary and I’m sure the doctor can’t refuse to print one off a medical summary the fact they are dragging it out is adding to the stress. 

The doctor can't (except in exceptional circumstances) refuse you access to your records but they can refuse any work that is outside their NHS duties or only do such work on a private fee paying basis. The letter you want may well fall into that category.

Pollycat

Undervalued said:

gadget88 said:

Well I won’t disclose what mental health issues I have but I take medication for them and this has went on a week and causing me extreme distress. I shouldn’t be forced to do this I googled it and people simply showed they had x mental health issue and that was enough. Doesn’t matter if someone on a forum thinks it’s not valid. Problem is it’s getting that letter or medical summary and I’m sure the doctor can’t refuse to print one off a medical summary the fact they are dragging it out is adding to the stress. 

The doctor can't (except in exceptional circumstances) refuse you access to your records but they can refuse any work that is outside their NHS duties or only do such work on a private fee paying basis. The letter you want may well fall into that category.

Any letter is not going be any use to the OP now.

sheramber said:

TripleH said:

Op, is it worth going down to the court with  the prescription for your medication, ID and the letter and explaining there? (Assuming you are able to make the journey).

This might be cleared up quickly, but at least you can present the tangible information to them and explain your situation rather than be marked as 'non-communicative'.

The OP had to reply by 25 September so I expect it has been sorted one way or another.

NoodleDoodleMan

sheramber said:

ciderboy2009 said:

Murphybear said:

I’d love to do jury service.  I’m probably over the age limit now.  Interesting when we can do jury service when you’re my age (72) but the judges can be much older.

The maximum age for jury service is 75.

Judges have a statutory retirement age which is also 75 (it was 70 until March 2021)

No upper age limit in Scotland. I was called for jury duty at 77. 

If over 71 you can decline.

I've twice been called for Jury Duty, in different courts, not required to sit either time.

The second occasion was a frarce - around 70 people called to attend the potential Jurors briefing prior to the case being heard - the police were unable to locate the accused so the Sheriff dismissed everybody until he could be found.

The cost to the public purse must have been significant - travel expenses, loss of earnings to be re-imbursed, pay for childminders to allow Jury attendance etc.

All avoidable (presumably) if the police had been able to get their act together in preparation for the Monday morning.

All funded by the taxpayer of course.

Silvertabby

Only ever called for jury service once.  Court official asked if anyone had served in the Armed Forces, and those of us who put our hands up were immediately thanked and dismissed.

Never did find out what the case involved.

TripleH

Mnoee

This thread is a month old, not every mental health diagnosis comes with a prescription and even if meds are involved I wouldn't expect a judge to know fluoxetine from clozapine, or what each might be prescribed for - and either one wouldn't necessarily exclude someone from jury duty. 

Thanks, I think it was more to goto the Clerk / administration beforehand to explain.

Yes, accept the comment may be useless for Op, but might have some use for other posters.

Having never been asked, I don't know if it would be acceptable if not, but contacting someone at the Court and asking would always be a good starting point.

powerful_Rogue

NoodleDoodleMan said:

sheramber said:

ciderboy2009 said:

Murphybear said:

I’d love to do jury service.  I’m probably over the age limit now.  Interesting when we can do jury service when you’re my age (72) but the judges can be much older.

The maximum age for jury service is 75.

Judges have a statutory retirement age which is also 75 (it was 70 until March 2021)

No upper age limit in Scotland. I was called for jury duty at 77. 

If over 71 you can decline.

I've twice been called for Jury Duty, in different courts, not required to sit either time.

The second occasion was a frarce - around 70 people called to attend the potential Jurors briefing prior to the case being heard - the police were unable to locate the accused so the Sheriff dismissed everybody until he could be found.

The cost to the public purse must have been significant - travel expenses, loss of earnings to be re-imbursed, pay for childminders to allow Jury attendance etc.

All avoidable (presumably) if the police had been able to get their act together in preparation for the Monday morning.

All funded by the taxpayer of course.

A bit harsh on the police. If everyone awaiting trial was held on remand think how many prisons and prison officers etc would be required. We don't seem to have enough for those that have been convicted.