Animal Law Section promotes courtroom therapy dogs
Macie Codina and Ralph DeMeo, of Tallahassee’s Guilday Law Firm, on behalf of The Florida Bar Animal Law Section, attended the 2023 swearing in ceremony for 18 new Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Animal Therapy Program courtroom therapy dogs. Pictured are Second Circuit Chief Judge Jonathan Sjostrom and retired Senior Judge James Hankinson, who were the first judges in Florida to allow dogs in their courtrooms during child dependency and other hearings. Judge Hankinson was featured on the cover of the November 2014 Florida Bar Journal “Special Issue on Animal Law in Florida.” The Florida Supreme Court recently adopted amendments to Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration Rule 2.540 to address the use of service and emotional support animals in courts.