“Law and Order, Then and Now: Animals and inanimate objects, including human corpses, put on trial,” from a March 2, 2012, Law Librarian Blog post, regarding:
Animals on Trial:
“…. In the history of animal trials, typically to adjudicate criminal complaints based on their behavior. Today’s animal rights advocates who are campaigning against breed-specific legislation might want to take note that in the annuals [sic] of animal litigation, defendants — the accused animal — oftentimes enjoyed the benefits of due process. In Bugs and Beasts Before the Law, Nicholas Humphrey, a theoretical psychologist who is known for his work on the evolution of human intelligence and consciousness, reports….” [Link to full blog post.]