President Harry Truman once tweeted, “If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”

Well, actually, he didn’t tweet it, he posted it on his Facebook.

Well, OK, he didn’t tweet it, blog it or post it. He just said it.

President Truman did not have the modern social media communication devises of our current president, Donald Tweet.

But however old Give ’Em Hell Harry communicated it, it was good advice. And now thanks to a recent decision of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, we can add a corollary: If you want a friend in court, take a dog!

The appellate court affirmed a trial judge’s ruling that a young victim of a crime could have a “comfort dog” with him in the witness stand when he testified so long as the dog sat at his feet and could not be seen by the jury.

Courts in New York, Washington and California have rendered similar decisions allowing “service dogs” to accompany witnesses at trials.

A dog in a courtroom is not a new phenomenon for me. I have actually tried several cases before a dog. Her name was Millie Chandler. She was a French poodle who was the best friend of the late Shelby County Circuit Judge Wyeth Chandler.

During his years on the bench, Judge Chandler brought Millie with him to court every day. During jury trials, Millie would stay in the Judge’s chambers curled up on a little mat. But in bench trials or hearings, Millie would join Judge Chandler on the bench, sitting in his lap while he heard a case.

I tried many cases before Judge Millie. On one occasion Millie began to growl as I addressed the court.

“Millie doesn’t believe you, “Judge Chandler dryly commented.

I miss Judge Chandler — both Judge Chandlers, Wyeth and Millie.

Two of my best friends are Atticus and Scout Haltom. They are beagles, and I adore them. I would love to take them to court with me. Since neither has a law license, they could not serve as my co-counsel. But they could sit at my feet under the counsel table, and I could reach down and rub their tummies from time to time. That would keep them from growling when an opposing witness was testifying.

In order to do so, I will probably have to file a Motion for Canine Pro Hac Vice Admission.

I am confident Judge Chandler would have granted such a motion. And Millie would have barked her approval.

BILL HALTOM is a shareholder with the firm of Lewis Thomason. He is a past president of the Tennessee Bar Association and a past president of the Memphis Bar Association. Read his blog at www.billhaltom.com.