Excusing someone from Jury Duty due to bipolar.?

Question

Is bipolar personality disorder a good reason to excuse someone from Jury Duty?

Answer 1

If youwant to participate on the jury, then simply do so. If you don't or feel that you cannot, ask your doc to write a letter. I've excused many from jury duty for this diagnosis as well as others at their request.

Answer 2

Hi:

The answer to your question is simple and straight forward as I have just been through this a few years ago. i am Bipolar 1 severe.

When I received my notice for jury duty I was in a major, major depressive episode. When it was time for my appt at the docs I brought the letter for jury duty with me so I could show him and he could get a chuckle out of it possibly. I don't know what I was thinking...I was majorly depressed.
So he read the notice and instead of the chuckle I thought I would hear, he became upset. It was just more fuel for the depression. He faxed over a letter with the hard copy to follow in the mail stating that at the time I am not medically fit to partake in this type of stressfull activity. I was immediately was approved for dismissal.

So I believe that if you have Bipolar, you can still partake in jury duty as long as you have not had an episode recently, but due to the nature of Bipolar, I would still always check with your doc for his/her recommendation.

Be safe and be well

Answer 3

If you have been medically diagnosed w/cronic bi-polar disorder you can be excused from Jury duty do to Personal Health. Stress is not exactly a friend to a real Manic. If you want to serve on a Jury you might be what one of the attorneys want if the client has a mental illness. The Attorneys will choose.

Answer 4

Hello

bipolar is not a "personality disorder"! There is no reason to excuse someone with bipolar from Duty unless s/he is having an active episode in the moment in which s/he is on duty.

Most of the answers you got were either uninformed or judgmental as heck.

Answer 5

yes you could argue they are unfit for it as they are not thinking straight I mean if someone is having a manic episode they will not be able to think clear enough to be able to do the job. and bipolar is not a personality disorder is a mood disorder.

edit: oh and to the person above I can remember facts perfect thanks think you need to learn a little more before you go around telling people that we can't remember facts. I don't mind being in a busy place either, you clearly don't know much about bipolar.

Answer 6

Yes because a person who is bipolar can sometimes be at an emotional extreme and this could effect their judgment and ability to remember the details of the case. This could later be reviewed and force a retrial. I would check with your towns jury selection commitee though and see what they say.

Answer 7

I am amazed that no one here seems concerned with the trial. I m interested and would love to be a part of the process but I wonder if having a juror with a dianosed mental disorder might cause a mistrial or otherwise affect the verdict. Any thoughts?

Answer 8

Is this someone diagnosed bipolar? Are they on meds? When was the last time they had an episode, either depressive or manic?

I don't know if just being bipolar will get a person automatically dismissed, or if there are other criteria involved.

Answer 9

Hey swear to God my son got excused by saying he was not of "good moral character" or whatever to jury summons says. They sent him home and sent him the 10$ show up check. I would not kid ya about this.

Answer 10

Yes it is my mom was bipolar and she would be denied juror duty or excused I should say with this disease.