Y2K Bug: Jury Duty Begins In 1901 Multnomah County Mistake Causes Chuckles

PORTLAND, Updated 5:21 p.m. PST January 3, 2001 -- Thousands of Multnomah County residents have been summoned to show up for jury duty -- in 1901.

Y2K Bug Bites Jurors The year-late Y2K snafu happened after the county apparently failed to heed a state agency's warning to type in all four digits of the year to make sure that computer software would print the right date. "I'm sure that most people are chuckling and saying the Y2K gremlins are at work," Multnomah County trial court administrator Douglas Bray said.

About 3,000 misprinted jury summonses were sent to residents this week. They were processed by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services in Salem, Ore., which had warned Multnomah County to be careful about how the date was entered.

Portland resident Don Larson, 77, said that his summons told him to report for jury duty on Jan. 24, 1901.

"It's funny," Larson said. "It brings a little laughter into serious conditions. Everybody makes mistakes."

http://www.channel6000.com/c6k/news/stories/news-20010103-152956.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), January 03, 2001