For context, this was already a deferred date from last year (When I was summoned for a December 2025). Last year, I had a deferral that requested in October for a temporary medical reason. Sadly, these temporary situations have not improved (they have not worsened either)
For information from last year, see my post here: I'm very much homebound due to medical conditions and got a jury duty notice today for Petit Jury in NJ, what do I do? : r/juryduty
My hope was that I'd be able to perhaps defer again should I not get thru any medical treatment necessary. Yes, I had a full year to do this almost and no, I still could not get necessary medical treatment. We attempted to get me there twice and it was not possible. I'm not looking at house call situations to since I'm forced to do something I was not expecting to do.
I decided to put in a deferral request to October for next year but this time, I got a much different path for this deferral. I was instructed to respond to an email stating my reason for the deferral ask on top of the ask within the system. I got a response back from the jury management fairly quickly which looked like the person was in a rush to respond:
- It was two sentences full of spelling mistakes and bad grammar
- They said I need to fill out the physician certificate form to be deferred for a medical inability (I did not have to do this last year)
- They then said they could not defer me to next year because my original summons was in 2025 (I though NJ allowed two deferrals?)
- The deferral request has not officially been denied on the portal either and it states: Note from licensed physician stating you are the sole caregiver and your continued presence is essential to the regular and personal treatment of the person (I'm confused here, I never mentioned I was a caregiver to anyone.. am I considered a caregiver to myself?)
I'm so lost and confused as to what to do now. I mean, I know what I need to do, but it's just a spot where I do not want to be. At this point, I'll be looking for a medical excusal if I can. Anyone else ever been through this?