the elders can and most certainly have where I am from.
For about two months before i stopped attending, i was attending a different congregation. My work schedule had changed and the nights on which i had meetings were the same nights i had to work. well, at the same time, i was seen walking around with my disfellowshipped fiance. I was constantly busy and i wsa working 12 hour shifts. I was never home to answer the phone, i wasnot allowed to answer the phone while at work, and if someone went to visit, i was not there. Well when i did not anwer the elders phone calls, they left a note on my back door that i was suppose to be at a judicial committee meeting on a particular date. Well, i never entered the house through that door and i never saw the note.
A week later, i came home early from work for lunch, and they left a note on both doors saying that i was going to be disfellowshipped the following appropriate meeting. I was very upset with them and I went to complain. At the time, i still wanted to be there.
In essence, yeah; they can disfellowship you without a j/c