Boston, city of law

Sal Esposito, a sleek tabby cat, was summoned to attend court in Boston, Massachusetts to serve on a jury.

His application for an exemption because of his species, however, was rejected. So strict are the jury summonsing clerks in Boston that even being a cat wasn’t a good enough excuse not to serve. On the last census form, Sal’s owners included Sal as a family pet.

When the jury summons arrived for Sal, the Espositos replied that Sal doesn’t speak English. But for Suffolk Superior Crown Court that didn’t cut it. An official replied that the request for exemption had been rejected and Sal “must attend” to serve as a juror.

Sal will apply for purr diem expenses.