A fine example of the
utter pigheadedness of public officialdom:
Cat summoned for jury duty at Boston court
A cat has received a jury duty summons after his owner put his name on the pets section of a census form.
Tabby Sal has been called to sit in judgement at a US court, even though owner Anna Esposito filed for his disqualification on the grounds he was ‘unable to speak and understand English’.
Bizarrely, officials denied the request, meaning Sal and Mrs Esposito may have to attend a Boston court on March 23.
Can't speak or understand English, and yet is considered suitable to sit in judgement over his fellow Americans, when the whole case may turn on a single word or nuance of interpretation? That's worrying. I wonder why that isn't a disqualification to jury service?
A U.S judicial branch website states that 'jurors are not expected to speak perfect English'.
Ah. They don't want to
discriminate. That makes it all OK, then. As long as no-one is offended ...
The cat is currently searching for a get-out 'claws'.
Ouch.
Paws for thought?
ReplyDeleteI'll get my coat, bye.................
I'm sitting on your coat, and I will move when I am good and ready.
ReplyDelete"I wonder why that isn't a disqualification to jury service?"
ReplyDeleteLawyers speak English..? Who knew?
:)
Why the HEL does a census form have a "pets" section any way?`Spnsored by bloody Chappy, or something?
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to divorce my pet Snapping Turtle for two years now in New York State but I can not get her to sign the legal papers. I need to move north to Canada.
ReplyDelete@FT: The state owns your pets as well as you, it seems. Seems fair to me. If they own them, they can bloody well feed them too.
ReplyDeleteCats do nuances rather well, I've always found.
ReplyDeleteThey're a bit too prone to being nobbled by offers of tuna to be entirely impartial, though.
Cats are shameless prostitutes. They will metaphorically drop 'em for a spoonful of tuna, but soon they are back on that street corner, looking for another mug.
ReplyDeleteFer gawds sake Richard don't shout too loudly over this or our lot might get to hear of it and then we would really be in the sh*te!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see them try to deal with my black Lab. He makes the chavs from sink estates look like model citizens. Bring it on!
ReplyDelete