Obama's retirement plan: Might appear for jury duty in Illinois
Former US President Barack Obama has reportedly been summoned for jury duty in Cook County, Illinois. According to a court official, Obama does plan on serving. A lawyer by training, Obama could serve in both criminal and civil cases. Former-presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush have also appeared for jury duty after finishing their stint at the White House. Here's more about it.
Post-presidency, what has Obama been upto?
The Obama family moved out of the White House in January, at the time that Donald Trump entered office. Post-retirement, he has been spotted vacationing in Indonesia, kite-surfing with billionaire Richard Branson and dropping his daughter Malia Obama off at Harvard University.
Obama as a potential juror: What do we know?
According to County Cook chief judge Tim Evans, Obama made it "crystal clear" to him that he intends on carrying out his public duty. However, Evans didn't reveal the exact date/location of the beloved former-president's appearance. If chosen, Obama would receive $17.25/day, the same salary for anyone appearing for jury duty. Evans also revealed that Obama's security will be high-priority during his attendance.
Will Obama get chosen?
Jurors are selected to serve on a case after the lawyers rigorously question jurors to find prejudices or leanings that prevent them from judging fairly. According to Aaron Katz, a white-collar criminal defense expert, lawyers are often reluctant to choose "high-impact jurors" such as Obama.
