Speaking of therapy dogs, a golden retriever named Rosie is in the news after comforting a 15-year-old girl as she gave testimony in her father's trial for raping her. The lawyers for the father are now planning to appeal the use of Rosie.
From The New York Times:
Hat tip: The Volokh Conspiracy
Another courtroom dog (News on 6 (Oklahoma))
The Courtroom Dog Controversy: Unfair Cuteness? (Animal Planet)
From The New York Times:
The new role for dogs as testimony enablers can, however, raise thorny legal questions. Defense lawyers argue that the dogs may unfairly sway jurors with their cuteness and the natural empathy they attract, whether a witness is telling the truth or not, and some prosecutors insist that the courtroom dogs can be a crucial comfort to those enduring the ordeal of testifying, especially children.
Hat tip: The Volokh Conspiracy
Another courtroom dog (News on 6 (Oklahoma))
The Courtroom Dog Controversy: Unfair Cuteness? (Animal Planet)