President Obama Responds To Call For Jury Duty In Chicago

Former President Barack Obama has received a summons for jury duty in his hometown of Chicago, where he still has an active residence. Although the call for a former president to serve on jury duty is rare, it can still happen, as is the case with Obama in Cook County in Illinois. But he isn’t the only high profile person to be called to serve on a jury in the Chicago area of Cook County.

In a new report from the Chicago Tribune, former President Barack Obama has answered the call for jury duty in Cook County, and the Chief Judge in the county, Tim Evans, said he has received word that Obama plans to serve as requested, just like any other normal citizen in the country should. But what is unclear about this case is exactly what kind of crime or civil case former President Obama will be serving as a potential juror on in Cook County.

As many people in the country are well aware, Chicago and Cook County have a long, storied history of violence, up to and including murder. Although it is highly unlikely that Obama will be serving on a jury in a murder case, that cannot be ruled out at this time because such details have yet to be disclosed.

Barack Obama summoned for jury duty in Nov, chief judge tells commissioners, and he expects former prez to show up.https://t.co/UnLTfvl5Md pic.twitter.com/NAdQa8xrvX

— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) October 28, 2017

Although former President Barack Obama currently resides in Washington, D.C., to finish up schooling for his children, he still has residences in the Kenwood area of Chicago and in Washington D.C., which makes him eligible for jury duty in Cook County.

What is of the utmost concern to Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans is security for President Obama, who still has a Secret Service detail assigned to him. Such provisions that might be needed for Secret Service and their own accommodations will be met, according to Evans.

Evans also wanted to point out that Barack Obama made it “crystal clear” to him that he would indeed be showing up to answer the call to serve jury duty in Cook County through representatives for the former president. Evans also pointed out that Obama’s willingness to serve for jury duty in Cook County sets an example, of sorts, to the kind of commitments that people have to their communities, regardless of public or class status.

Oprah Winfrey and Mr. T have also served jury duty in the area before, but Barack Obama will most likely be the highest profile person to ever serve the call in Cook County.

[Featured Image by Shawn Thew – Pool/Getty Images]