Could trying to place a therapy animal into a courtroom result in a ban of all animals in courtrooms?
Absolutely not. Every judge has the discretion to decide what occurs in his/her courtroom. Some judges have accepted therapy animals in their courtrooms without any issues, whereas others have decided against it. Claims that the presence of the handler can be disruptive during a court proceeding are based on lack of knowledge regarding the process. Not all courtrooms are set up the same, so each judge, prosecutor and handler needs to decide what setup is best suited for each courtroom, in order to be less intrusive. What could be a concern is allowing an unaccompanied animal into a courtroom.
