A closer look
During the Middle Ages, animals could be legally put on trial, provided with defense lawyers, and sentenced to prison or execution. Pigs were the most frequent offenders, often facing the gallows for property damage or attacking children, while rats routinely ignored their court summons. The fact that medieval folks went through the trouble of reading formal indictments to livestock really puts modern bureaucratic inefficiency into perspective. One lawyer even successfully delayed a trial for his rat clients by arguing they couldn't safely travel to court due to the high volume of local cats. It is truly inspiring to see how deeply humanity has always valued the theatrical illusion of justice, even when the defendant is literally chewing on the courtroom furniture!
