Lighter side: Jury-duty-dodger escapes wearing prisoner costume

A man trying to avoid jury duty fronted up to court wearing a prisoner uniform.

A Vermont man fronted up to a court wearing a prisoner costume, in one of the more novel approaches to avoiding pesky jury duty.

The man, James Lowe, was dismissed wearing a black and white striped jumpsuit and matching beanie.

Lowe was directed to an empty courtroom where he met with a judge, who told him he could have been found in contempt of court, potentially meaning jail time or a hefty fine.  But Lowe said the juror instructions don’t restrict clothing, he was however happy to have avoided it.

“The rules said nothing about what to wear and whether or not he had to be wearing jeans or a suit and tie,” Lowe’s wife Sheri told The Daily Mail, saying he had bought it at a garage sale and thought jury duty would be the perfect opportunity to wear the outfit.

“Everyone got some laughs that day.  Everyone was having a good time.  Everyone but the judge who had a sheriff escort my husband out.  They told him to go home.”

Sheri, who suffered a stroke and is now unable to work, said that she and her husband couldn’t afford the $11 a day that jurors are paid in Vermont.

According to the jury duty FAQ on their website, “appropriate casual dress is required,” though there is no outlined definition of what is appropriate and what is not, The Daily Mail reported.
 

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