Judge excuses himself from jury duty

WEST BEND, Wis. -- Pat Faragher has a sure-fire way to get out of jury duty -- he'll just excuse himself.

Faragher, a Washington County Circuit judge, was summoned for jury duty recently in his own court. He has his excuse already prepared: "I think I'll just say it may not be a good idea to be summoned to my own court."

Jury clerk Deb Donath said a computer randomly compiles juror lists from information provided by the state Department of Motor Vehicles. "I can't pull any names out, not even his in his own branch," she said of the judge.

Faragher also has been summoned for jury duty in the court of a colleague, Judge Andy Gonring.

"Andy thought it was hilarious," Faragher said.