At one famous trial in Autun, France, in 1522, some rats were charged with feloniously eating and wantonly destroying the province’s barley crop and so were ordered to appear in court. When they failed to show, the rats’ attorney argued that the summons were too specific. He insisted that all the rats in the diocese should be summoned and that the summons should be read from the pulpits of all the parishes in the area. The court agreed and another hearing was scheduled.
When the rats again failed to appear, the defense attorney explained that the rats really did want to come to court, but were afraid to leave their holes and make the long journey because of the vigilance of the plaintiff’s cats. He added that the rats would appear if the plaintiffs posted bonds under heavy penalties that the cats would not molest his clients. The judges thought this was fair, but the plaintiffs refused to be responsible for the behavior of their cats, so the case was adjourned without setting a date for another hearing, which in effect ended the case in the rats’ favor.
The attorney, named Bartholomew Chassenée, went on to become a famous French lawyer.
Source:
Stephens, John Richard. “Ignorance and Intelligence.” Weird History 101: Tales of Intrigue, Mayhem, and Outrageous Behavior. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2006. 118-19. Print.
Further Reading:
I’m glad to see that lawyers have always been crazy and potentially disliked.