Hatfield U.S. Courthouse Sculpture: Cat on Trial in Law of Nature
I only today discovered this garden while looking at the Judith Resnik, Dennis Curtis online edition of their book: “Representing Justice,” but locals may recognize the sculptures. There is a field trip in my future.
The “Law of Nature” sculpture might be more familiar.
“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.]
We not infrequently get questions from people worried about some new animal law they heard about or who just have an “animal law” question. You can start with one or more of these resources to find an answer to your question:
1) Oregon Legislature: searching for bills and laws by session
A lot of us don’t think of Oregon as horse-country, but it is! Notwithstanding the fantasies (though, not mine – I’m more a chill out on the deck with a tall drink sort of person) of riding barebacked on the Oregon coast (still the People’s Coast from North to South), there is plenty of legal work for horse lawyers, aka equine lawyers.
If you need a “horse lawyer” you can contact the Oregon State Bar Information and Referral Service and ask for one. While you’re waiting for that first appointment, read a little about equine law: University of Vermont Equine Law website.
You might notice that horse law requires knowledge of civil procedure, contracts, sales, torts, bankruptcy, debtor-creditor law, and more! There can also multi-state disputes so the attorneys need to be knowledgable about other states’ laws and procedures.
While on a rare, and all too brief, break from work, I caught, so to speak, a wonderful, and not a little bit terrifying, interview on Fresh Air with Peter Laufer, author of “Forbidden Creatures: Inside the World of Animal Smuggling and Exotic Pets.”
It was hard on the heels of my Exotic Pets post: Animal Law: Thou Shall Not Covet Exotic Pets in Oregon (and beyond)
I’m not big on buying stuff, especially stuff that eats, so am not inclined to feel acquisitive or broody when I see a cute critter, but apparently it’s a real problem in the real world (i.e. the non-bibliophile world – we apparently covet only time to read – and maybe Hood strawberries and Ranier Cherries.)
This was an interesting Oregonian story:
“Jane Hartline shifts focus from the Oregon Zoo to discouraging ownership of exotic pets, Monday, June 28, 2010:
Holly Anne Gibbons, an Oregon lawyer, has written a practical article (Introduction) on “Incorporating Animal Law into Private Practice,” in the Lewis & Clark Law School journal, Animal Law Review, volume 16, issue 2, 2010, pp. 207-211. (ALR is not free, online. Print copies of articles are available from library subscribers or online from aggregators.)
When we hear about Animal Law Clinics and Projects, or maybe even the work of Temple Grandin, most of us do not think about farm animals and the law:
“Cow Whipping: How violent can a farmer get with his livestock?,” by Brian Palmer, Slate, Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Excerpt: “An animal rights group has released a video showing workers at an Ohio dairy farm punching cows, stabbing them with a pitchfork, and beating them with a crowbar. How violent is a rancher or dairy farmer allowed to get with his livestock?
In case you were wondering (and you were, weren’t you), the Oregon Supreme Court on April 1, 2010, decided:
State of Oregon v. Benson L. Hogevoll (SC S057014)
From the Oregon Supreme Court, April 1, 2010, Media Release:
This is a legal reference question that comes up again and again and again and …..
What can I do about my neighbor’s barking dog?
It depends, of course, but don’t go crazy. There are usually ways to deal with the problem, although it takes tact, persistence, more tact, creativity, collaboration, and sheer, uh, doggedness.
Remember, a constantly barking dog is not a happy dog and you are likely doing a good deed, at least for the dog, and even sometimes for the owner.
Oregon Legal Research Blog