FORMER US PRESIDENT Barack Obama has been summoned for jury duty in the state of Illinois, and plans to serve on a case.
Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans told the Chicago Tribune that Obama had made it “crystal clear” that he would do his “public duty as a citizen and resident of this community” by serving on a jury.
It is not yet known if it will be a civil or criminal case, but the summons were sent for an appearance next month.
The 56-year-old is no stranger to the courtroom, having worked as a civil rights lawyer before being elected to the US Senate. Obama studied at Harvard Law School and lectured at the University of Chicago’s law school for over a decade before going into politics.
All former presidents are provided with a security detail, and Evans said that the courts would make adjustments to accommodate the 44th President of the United States.
“Obviously we will make certain that he has all the accouterments that accompany a former president. His safety will be uppermost in our minds,” he said.
Jurors in Cook County receive $17.25 (just under €15) per day for jury service.
Evans added: “Although it’s not a place where the public can earn a lot of money, it is highly appreciated. It’s crucial that our society get the benefit of that kind of commitment.”
Other famous faces to have served on juries in the US include Oprah Winfrey, who served on a murder trial in 2004.
“Everything I could hear in a trial I’ve already heard on my show,” she said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say