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>If the creatures could be physically transported to the courtroom for the hearing, then they usually were. This may sound utterly insane to our modern minds...
by Rebelgecko 4y ago
>If the creatures could be physically transported to the courtroom for the hearing, then they usually were. This may sound utterly insane to our modern minds...
Of course, nowadays we're so much more advanced than these medieval bumpkins. We've figured out how to have court cases against animals without the hassle of physically placing them in the court room. Such was the case in the 1987 trial of US vs. 2,507 live canary winged parakeets (the parakeets lost, probably to the benefit of their species)
- thaumasiotes 4y agoThat isn't a similar situation. Modern trials with titles of State v. Object are very common, but they do not allege that the object committed any offense. They are a way of confiscating the object from its owner without allowing the owner to defend himself in court (because he's not being penalized, the object is).
- Rebelgecko 4y agoWhy are we penalizing objects that haven't committed any offense? That doesn't seem morally defensible.
- thaumasiotes 4y agoWe're not penalizing them. We're taking them.