Courthouse Dogs Foundation

Based on a practice that developed in Seattle, Washington, in 2003, the foundation was founded in 2012 by former prosecuting attorney Ellen O'Neill-Stephens and veterinarian Celeste Walsen.

The use of assistance dogs working in the legal system first began in 2003 when Ellen O'Neill-Stephens, a King County senior deputy prosecuting attorney in Seattle, started bringing an off-duty service dog to juvenile drug court, forensic interviews, and courtroom proceedings.

Shortly after, the actual canines working in these legal settings began to be referred to as courthouse facility dogs.

Together, O'Neill-Stephens and Walsen began presenting and training attorneys, victim advocates, child advocacy centers, and others working in the legal system about how they could use facility dogs.

[8] In December 2013, the Hague Institute for the Internationalization of Law recognized the Courthouse Dogs Foundation as a finalist in the competition for the Successful Innovating Justice award.