CROWN POINT | A judge bent on instructing the public to fulfill jury obligations got his point across Monday morning with the reluctant help of a Cedar Lake man.

As part of his sentence for being a jury duty scofflaw, Michael Leibengood stood outside the Lake County Government Complex holding a sign saying, "I failed to appear for jury duty." It was a public lesson for prospective jurors entering the courthouse.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Thomas P. Stefaniak ordered Leibengood's public display of remorse last week after refusing to believe Leibengood failed to serve on a murder trial jury in late May because he had a flat tire.

Stefaniak couldn't be reached Monday for comment.

"No one is exempt from jury duty. Not even me," Chief Lake Superior Court Judge John Pera said Monday of the sentence.

Pera said he wasn't involved in the Leibengood case and couldn't comment on Stefaniak's decision, but judges have made jury duty as convenient and fair as possible because the courts need the public's help in dispensing justice.

Rich Cox, of Hobart, who was on jury call this week, said, "At first I didn't understand what was going on. I thought the guy was some kind of protester."

Cox said this was the second time in about three decades he has been summoned as a potential juror, and "I always wondered what would happen if you didn't go. Now I know."

Joe Giorgio, also of Hobart and another prospective juror, said, "I talked to him during a break. He told me he got off pretty easy."

Leibengood said Monday he had just gotten off his night shift at a steel mill to show up outside the courthouse front door from 7:30 to 9 a.m. -- a time when the people called into this week's criminal court jury pool had to appear.

He didn't appear upset and chatted with people who asked him what he was doing.

He said his mother made his sign for him.