Do you get any emails like this?

Notice of appearance,

You are hereby notified that you are required to attend
the court of Chicago in January 19, 2014 as a defendant
for the hearing of a pirated software case.

Compulsory attendance.
You may have the services of a lawyer, if necessary.
Failure to appear may result in the imposition of sanctions.

You may find the detailed pretrial notice attached to this letter,
you are highly recommended to study it thoroughly in advance.

Court agent,
Carol Smith

The is also an attachment with it that I refuse to click on.

J.R.

I haven't received any of these e-mails, but I did a Google search and it is a virus. Here's the link to the info. The examples kinda sound like yours.

https://techhelplist.com/index.php/spam-list/439-hearing-of-your-case-in-court-nr-virus

Yeah, my dad got one tool

Never got one. That screams scam.

Someone else mentioned this to me.

It's a scam. The courts aren't going to summon you by e-mail. If you were to be summoned to appear in court, you would receive it in person from a process server or police officer who serves court papers.

Don't click the attachment.

Besides i never been to Chicago to be in court.

it's real.
you better be here in chicago on that day.
stop out here as you pass by.

A pity. I would be honored to appear in court on request. Official letters like this are welcome to me. It's most unfortunate that this kind of fraud is committed. Viral messages are known to circulate. I feel most uncomfortable about knowing this. I hope it's dealt with in due time.

Definitely a scam.

Do not click on anywhere.

Agreed... if it's a summons doesn't someone have to hand it to you, in person, and shout "You've been Served!"

or is that just in the movies?

It could be real, and you can check it out by calling the Court of Chicago, where ever that is, and see if there is a case pending. But, it does not sound real. If they want you to pay money to make it go away then it is fake, scam. You could see an attorney for expert legal advice. I get a very real looking FBI WARNING @#$%^$%^&*, that sounds real, sometimes. I found out that that is all nonsense, and a scam. Do your home work on it, but don't lose any sleep over it.

Corey.

No shouting. But they do deliver the notice in person and you have to sign for it.

(I've been a witness in a couple of cases. I was summoned for both cases in person, and I had to sign for the summons.)

Then who is responsible for this kind of scam? I'd really like to know.

The same kind of people who send e-mails telling you that you've won the European lottery you never entered, or that some rich guy in Spain died and left you all his money.

There is always going to be someone who falls for any scam. It's why the same scams com up again and again.

Courts don't give such notices by email.