Barack Obama reports for jury duty in Chicago
Barack Obama delighted Chicago's citizens by showing up for jury service on Wednesday - although he was ultimately not called to serve.
Mr Obama, who is based in Washington DC but still owns a house in Chicago, arrived at the Cook County courthouse and sat through the 20-minute video explaining how jury service works.
"He gorgeous!" one court clerk exclaimed upon spotting the former president, the Chicago Tribute reported.
A potential juror, Kelly Bulik, told the newspaper she felt like a "piece of melting butter" as she shook his hand.
"Thanks everybody for serving on the jury. Or, at least being willing to," he said to laughter.
Chief Judge Tim Evans, who presides in Cook County, said that the former president was gracious to others who were there to fulfill their civic duty.
"The public allowed him to come in and to do his duty," he said at a news conference after Mr Obama left.
"I thought, for example, he would be reticent about greeting them. He came in and greeted the prospective jurors on both side of the panels. We had about 220 people here. He took time to greet people on both sides."
Mr Obama, a former law professor, would have made a formidable juror, but ultimately was chosen for a panel that was not selected.
"He discovered that some knew they might have a chance to meet him and they brought books for him to sign," the judge told reporters.
"I saw him pause for a moment and I thought his Secret Service panel may not permit him to do that, but he said that he wanted to sign their books and he did sign."
He did, however, draw the line at selfies.
"He said, 'Well you can take a shot, but no selfies. He thought that would delay him."
Mr Obama is not the first former president to receive a notice for jury duty.
In 2015, George W. Bush reported for jury duty at a Dallas courthouse, but was also not selected.
