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Jury duty with severe to profound hearing loss

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I sent a copy of my with the language comprehension scores in and was excused.

I was called 3 times before this, and sat on a jury once. I definitely consider it an important civic duty, but since I misunderstand a lot of words, and that wouldn’t be fair to either party.

If you have to show up, if they question you to sit on a jury, and if you misunderstand a lot of words, explain your dilemma to them.

It’s the best you can do.

Bob

Thanks again for the replies. I asked my audiologist and my head/neck Dr and neither would provide me with a letter. They said they will give me headphones. I like that reply that headphones only make noises louder, not necessarily the frequencies I need louder. Good point. I wear good quality headphones for music and still miss many lyrics.

An audiologist won’t write a letter to get you excused, but they should write a letter asking for appropriate accommodations.

(And then they probably won’t want to put the accommodations into place and will excuse you. :roll_eyes:)

Edited

I disagree with that Neville. My audiologist on 3 occasion sent let’s in recommending that I be excused from jury duty due to my hearing impairment. I don’t know why an audiologist would refuse to do that. It’s in everyone’s best interest. Not only that but the first time I got notified the clerk said they could provide headphones or someone qualified in sign language. Which was stated by another, earlier.

The last time I was called for jury duty, I was not only excused from appearing because of my hearing but also later received a notice that I’d been taken off the rolls of people eligible to be called. I think there’s also a certain age beyond which you aren’t called. I wasn’t past that at the time, though.

In this jurisdiction the notice had a section saying what to do if asking to be excused from duty and it mentioned that if you had a medical reason, you needed something from a medical professional. I sent a copy of my last hearing test to the address provided. My aids are from Costco and so are my tests, but I’ve always seen an audiologist there. It’s been a while, but as I remember I included a copy of her card, which gives her degrees.

I included an explanation that while the aids allow me to understand people up close, at any distance over about 8 feet, I lose that ability.

Imagine how much better informed and equipped the courts would be if we all requested a CART captioner or other needed accommodation under the .

Who’s going to pay for all that stuff. Plus looking at the spoken word would mean missing what’s actually going on in the court room. Watching the reactions of different individuals during a trial tend to sway some jurors one way or the other

I got a jury duty notice in the mail and to get exception for jury duty, l got a copy of my and a letter from my audiologist. I got an exemption of jury duty as long as l live in my state. I attended a hearing once and couldn’t not understand the attorney questions. I had to look at the court notetaker to read his questions. I told him that l am hearing impaired and can’t understand his questions and l requested an interpreter and attorney failed to do so. I should have filed a lawsuit against him but couldn’t afford an attorney.

I also sent a letter from my audiologist and a copy of my . I was excused.
They also excused me from being called again in county where I was living in at the time.

Here in the UK, if you write a letter to, The Clerk of the court, with your and explain your hearing loss, you will get an exemption from Jury Duty, I did this a few years ago, when called…. I recall a few years prior to this, being called as a witness, there Loop (Tele-coil) system didn’t work, so it was a very stressful experience trying to hear in open court, it was nearly impossible for me…. It was downright embarrassing being in the witness box, unable to hear the question being asked of me, I felt like a complete idiot….

In reply to @Laura_B

I keep getting my jury duty forms even though I always am released due to a letter from my audiologist. Do they think my hearing is magically going to heal itself?

I was called for jury duty in early 2020. I planned to asked for accommodation, and I had a copy of my with word recognition score ready to take in with me. I was told I couldn’t do anything before hand, but the day I showed up in the pool was the time to explain my situation and needs. Then the pandemic hit, courts (like everything else) shut down, no jury trials obviously, so I haven’t actually had to address this yet. I have to work hard to follow a program on TV . . . with my in and the closed captioning on. If I am reading the captioning I am not seeing the action; if I watch the action I miss words. Seems in my state, all I can do is arm myself with all the tools I can and go in the day of the pool, explain it to a person there. If your state isn’t one that allows you to explain an excuse ahead of time.

I was excused! Between having profound loss, showing my /aids and being an essential Kaiser Healthcare worker, I was excused, no questions asked. Thanks all

In reply to @mr.smithster

That’s appalling! I took a look at your and can’t believe neither would provide a letter about your inability to hear. Years ago, after I had struggled to serve as a juror in a 3-week trial, my fitter wrote a letter that I forwarded to the person in charge of jury summons in the largest county in the country (Harris, TX) and I haven’t been summoned since. Size of the jury pool that some mentioned might be the difference. I second the idea that if you’re called, ask the lawyers to repeat their questions often.

I had a letter written from my audiologist 20+ year ago that was detailed of my limitations with speech. Never was called since then.

Well it’s obvious that every place has a different way of handling this which is unfortunate. It’s also obvious that some places will keep your exemption on file while other places keep sending you notices requiring you to send in new documentation. Also many will agree that some kind of captioning system will hinder more than help because you are missing the interaction that goes on in the court room. Last but not least the government will in many cases waste taxpayers money by sending notices to people they have previously exempt

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