Under an ancient law still on the books, known as the Coming Armed to Parliament Act 1313, it is illegal to wear armor in the Houses of Parliament. Unsurprisingly, there have been no recent prosecutions for violations of this statute … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Ian’s legal fact of the week
While Vermont abolished the death penalty in 1965, it still has one capital crime remaining on the books: treason. Vermont law states that “[a] person owing allegiance to this state, who levies war or conspires to levy war against the … Continue reading
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, this legal fact: the only two States where divorce remains illegal are Vatican City, and the Philippines (where legal separation without the ability to remarry is available, but divorce is available only to the Muslim minority). Both States allow for annulments, but these … Continue reading
While Delaware has long been the favored state for the filing of corporate lawsuits, in 2017 it fell to 11th place. The Top 5 now: South Dakota; Vermont; Idaho; Minnesota; and New Hampshire. The ranking was compiled by the U.S. Chamber of … Continue reading
96% of pet-custody cases in divorces involves disputes over custody of dogs. Only 1% involve cats (not surprising to dog lovers!). The remaining 3% involve other domesticated animals, including birds, lizards, snakes and even 130-pound tortoises.
Courtesy of the History Office of the Federal Judicial Center: “The first mention of Santa Claus in a reported federal case came in a maritime case involving a ship of that name in 1846. The Santa Claus, 21 F. Cas. … Continue reading
Under the common law, a defendant who refused to enter a plea was considered to be contesting the court’s jurisdiction and was subjected to ‘peine fort et dure’ — pressing under heavy weights — until the defendant either consented to plead or … Continue reading
Despite what is popularly believed, the U.S. does not offer robust protection against child marriage. Twenty-five states do not have a legal minimum age for marriage, while 8 others set the age at under 16. New Hampshire, for example, sets … Continue reading
Among the many legal issues raised by ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft is personal violence: online tracker Who’s Driving You (which, it should be disclosed, is run by the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association), recorded more than 330 alleged … Continue reading
In August 2016, MA became the first state to pass a law banning employers from requiring information on an applicant’s previous salary history. Designed to prevent pay discrimination based on gender, the law, An Act to Establish Pay Equity, requires ‘equal pay … Continue reading
Eight states still possess constitutional prohibitions against atheists from holding public office: Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. While these provisions still exist, they cannot be enforced under the 1961 decision of Torcaso v. Watkins, in which … Continue reading
In 1846 Congress established the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., eleven years after receiving a bequest from Englishman James Smithson. The charter established a seventeen-member board with representatives from all three branches (the Chief Justice, the Vice President, and six members … Continue reading