YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!

[God-Raped-Me]

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/922127--boston-cat-called-for-jury-duty?bn=1

If you didn't click on the link I shall tell you what it's about. In Boston they have called a cat to jury duty! In a census, the owners put the name of their cat down as a pet and for whatever reason they called on the cat. The owners have tried to get the cat out of duty by saying that it neither speaks or understands English. They denied the request and said the cat STILL HAS TO GO!

The only thing I can think right now is "WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?!" Now, I'm not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to American law, but I would think that if you didn't understand English in any way shape or form that you could get out of jury duty... Let alone for being a freaking cat! Is there maybe something I'm missing? Something I don't know about? Or does this seem just as absurd to everyone else?  

[Thaliat Everwood]

They probably think it is just a realllllly creative lie to get out of serving and need proof...in America, it is fairly common to have people try to get out of jury duty. We trust no one in the legal system here. Remember, we let OJ off and he clearly did it.

Granted, this case does seem fairly cut and dry. Let the poor cat off.  

[Phaeton 2]

Well on the plus side for which ever side is losing the case, a feline juror would be immediate grounds for mistrial.  

[Aachren]

A cat would never sit on a jury.
However, I would assume that the county in which they reside believes that the name they called belongs to human being.
Or it's just a silly clerical error.
Which based on the number of people that in live in the Boston area, is completely possible.

EDIT after reading the article: This is why you do not give your animals names that might be construed as human and you don't list them on your census documents.
Can they be any more silly?!  

[emmmahy]

Oh man.

I soooooo wanna be there!  

[Jafthasleftthebuilding]

Cats are good at understanding legal claws.  

[Novatierrie]

Jaft

Cats are good at understanding legal claws.

Necessary.  

[SuchSweetSadism]

Novatierrie

Jaft

Cats are good at understanding legal claws.

Necessary.

iawtc.

3nodding  

[God-Raped-Me]

I wonder if you have to put the names of your pets on the census or if it simply asks you what kind and how many you own.

I will have to check the link later, I'm in the school library right now and I don't particularly enjoy drawing that much attention to myself.  

[Jafthasleftthebuilding]

We should treat cats as purrsons.  

[Oddplume]

I'm sure it'll all be cleared up at the courthouse. At the very least someone is going to say something if one of the jury box seats is occupied by a house cat. It should go to show you might run into some problems if you mention your pets on the census and give them very human names.  

[Shram]

I love it