Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

Motivational Speaker

Will the Legal System Accommodate or Discriminate

Filed under: Living with a disability — by at 7:29 pm on Friday, April 24, 2009

This morning found me up until 2am, finishing my free ebook “How POUR is Your Blog?” that I will launch next Friday afternoon at sOBCon09 Biz School for Bloggers. All that is left to do is to add the alternative text for all of the images. Yes, like with websites and blogs, ebooks should provide alternative text for all images to benefit individuals using screen readers.

Tomorrow I pack. Everything needs to fit into my one bag and laptop case for purely logistically reasons – nothing more will fit onto my scooter! Then I need to put the finishing touches on my PowerPoint presentation and copy it onto a couple of flash drives…just in case! I should then be almost ready to go by the time the taxi arrives at 6:45am Wednesday morning.

Today, on the way home from my pre-trip haircut, I picked up the mail. There was a white windowed envelope — those always make me nervous — from the Ministry of Attorney General – Sheriff Services, with my maiden name peering through the window.

I’ve been summons for juror duty! Now? Are you kidding me?!

As soon as I return home from Chicago, I need to begin preparing a presentation for the BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA) Symposium in Whistler on May 27th. Then the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards, for which I have been nominated, are June 3rd. I had scheduled a 24-hour holiday for June 4th!

Now I suppose to fit in jury duty?

Reading through the information, I could probably have myself disqualified based on the Jury Act, “Section 3(1) A person is disqualified from serving as a juror who is…(m) subject to a mental or physical infirmity incompatible with the discharge of the duties of a juror…” (Subject to physical infirmity incompatible with…? What?) But that would be the easy way out, which is definitely not my style!

Instead, I will appear at the courthouse “on Monday the 1st June, 2009 at the hour of 09:15 o’clock in the fore noon…” After all, it is my civil duty!

I’ll see how they deal with me. Will the legal system accommodate or discriminate? Stay tuned!

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6 Comments »

Comment by Loree

April 24, 2009 @ 8:00 pm

ooooo,I am on the edge of my seat wondering how they will ‘deal’ with you LOL. Should be a good read!

Comment by Bob Easton

April 25, 2009 @ 3:20 am

Is this your first call for jury duty?

I’ve been paying taxes long enough to have been called almost a dozen times. I’ve found most courts are quite accommodating. They will readily dismiss anyone who might have travel difficulties. I’ve seen people in wheelchairs dismissed with a friendly smile and “Thanks for coming today.” If you really want to serve, but find the date inconvenient, just say so. Most courts will readily offer a postponement if you ask. It’s the 3rd postponement request when they get “cranky.”

Have a fabulous trip to Chicago.

Comment by Don Gregg

April 25, 2009 @ 8:57 am

In the US, it is unlikely the attorneys would seat you on a jury. Not that you couldn’t or wouldn’t do a good job. It’s just that you don’t fit any of their profiles. They won’t be able to predict your vote.

Comment by Darrell Shandrow

July 9, 2009 @ 2:52 pm

How about this friendly suggestion for the future? Instead of the disability / infirmity excuse, how about coming out point blank and saying that, as a person with a physical disability who uses a scooter that makes you conspicuous, you do not feel that serving on a criminal jury is safe for you?

Comment by Glenda

July 9, 2009 @ 3:15 pm

Great suggestion, Darrell! However that wasn’t offered as an option on the form.

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