In a case worthy of being taken argued in court by the clever Albert Haddock in front of the ever-puzzled Mr. Justice Swallow, in one of AP Herbert’s ‘Uncommon Law’ stories, a pet cat has been summoned to appear for jury duty in Boston, USA.
The owner of the cat, told the court that there must have been a mistake for ‘Sal’ was a cat and not a person and so was ‘unable to speak and understand English’. The court was unimpressed with her explanation and a vet’s certificate which accompanied it, and the owner has been told she must present the cat to Suffolk Superior Crown Court for duty on 23 March or suffer the consequences.
It appears that census forms in that part of the world want to know what pets are in the house at census times and so Sal was duly entered on the form. However, when it was processed, the cat mistakenly became a human and so is not entitled to exemption from jury service.
It will be interesting to see what happens on 23 March when Sal’s owner presents her pet to the court.
Doubtless in front of the world’s media keen to present something on the lighter side to the public other than all the other dire things that are happening around this time!
.
The owner of the cat, told the court that there must have been a mistake for ‘Sal’ was a cat and not a person and so was ‘unable to speak and understand English’. The court was unimpressed with her explanation and a vet’s certificate which accompanied it, and the owner has been told she must present the cat to Suffolk Superior Crown Court for duty on 23 March or suffer the consequences.
It appears that census forms in that part of the world want to know what pets are in the house at census times and so Sal was duly entered on the form. However, when it was processed, the cat mistakenly became a human and so is not entitled to exemption from jury service.
It will be interesting to see what happens on 23 March when Sal’s owner presents her pet to the court.
Doubtless in front of the world’s media keen to present something on the lighter side to the public other than all the other dire things that are happening around this time!
.
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