My 71-year-old husband, with some memory issues and some cognitive dissonance, has been called for civil court jury duty. He is able to do day-to-day activities with some difficulty, but not too bad. He really wants to serve and doesn't want a medical exemption, and I want to support him, but am not sure this is going to be ok. The court is very close to home, walking distance, and we will practice going there and back a few times before the actual date he needs to report. Thank you so much for any advice!
Cognitive dissonance and you are willing to help him serve on a jury?
I find this criminal, you know that his thought processing is broken and you want to support him in serving on a jury. If you really care about supporting him, please support him by getting his name permanently removed from jury duty. This is NOT all about him, this could be someone's life or a serious matter that impacts lots of people.
The right thing for you to do, don't tell him, call the number on the summons and tell them the truth and ask for help stopping him without crushing him. You can not let him serve on a jury.
This isn't like a game of golf or a vacation. A person's fate rests in his hands and the other jury members.
He needs to ask to be excused for medical reasons if ckear dementia documentation is available from doctor or age. I think they have an age cut off where you are automatically be excused.
Yes! Right!
His civil duty will be served by opting out.
He 71, over 70 do not need to serve, there is no reason to bring up medical reasons.
There is no way that I would recommend him doing this.
This is truly shocking.
ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT POINT:
In our country (I'm from Ohio), our legal system is based on case law! It's also based on the constitution and laws, but it's also based on case law.
Your husband's contribution to the verdict, can shape our country's future case law, meaning he's not just deciding the fate of the person on trial. But he potentially decides the fate of other people on trial in the future.
THIS IS NOT CAMP.
It's not something to play around with and hope for the best that he performs his abilities as a juror.
STOP HIM.
Your "pride about fulfilling his civic duty" should be in having stopped him. And his "pride about fulfilling his civic duty" should be in stopping himself. THAT is fulfilling civic duty.
I find it very upsetting that your husband might go ahead. Please don't. It's your civic duty to stop him.
"and we will practice going there and back a few times before the actual date he needs to report"
I don't know if you're practicing because he needs practice walking, or because his memory is so bad he can't remember how to get there. If it's because of his memory....
Whatever the case, really, I find the whole thing very upsetting that you're/he's considering to be a juror. What is this world coming to.
Trust me, there are enough people who aren't cognitively impaired who aren't competent to serve on juries. My first criminal case was populated by people who stated loudly in the jury room that "All cops lie," so there was no way they'd convict anyone. Fortunately, the case ended up being pretty weak and the jury was unanimous in acquitting the defendant, but still, these people made it clear wouldn't even consider the evidence against him.
Your husband is not competent to serve on a jury, and that's the end of the story. Jury duty is also tedious, tiring, and depending on the case he might get on, it can be really upsetting. I served on a jury for a capital murder case, and I've vowed that if I ever get called to the jury box for such a case again, I'll tell the attorneys that I've paid my dues on violent cases.
There is no question that your husband cannot serve. You can sit in your living room for eight hours trying to read a book with The Price is Right running and a talk radio station playing in the background to replicate the experience of sitting in a jury room all day. It isn't fun.
If he serves, and finds someone guilty--IF the news came out that your DH is not mentally all there--there could be some real anger on the part of both sides.
Jury duty is NOT a day at the zoo. It's grueling and you really should be at the top of your game, mentally.
Also--wasting time and money (your money, too, since taxpayers pay for much of the judicial system) to assuage your husband's desire to serve is not OK.
I got out of jury duty after about 9 months post chemo. All I said was I did not feel that I had the stamina or mental acuity needed at that time to serve without prejudice. I was excused.
If you were involved in a court case or if your dh was, would you want someone with cognitive/memory issues to serve on the jury?
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