These small x-ray machines looked like wooden boxes with an opening for a foot. More on Ebbin: He introduced the legislation that pushed Virginia's state slogan -- "Virginia Is For Lovers" -- one step closer to reality. Can you imagine how much nosier traffic would be if everyone honked the horn as they passed? Surprisingly, the Virginia Code includes many sections which outline specific places that you should avoid trespassing on. The stupid laws that were passed by the state of virginia that basically stated that if you had the money, you could have these weird laws. It was only upon returning to the truck that they realized the keys were locked inside. Oh but wait! In 2011, an 18-year old North Stafford man crawled into the local Walmart in full cow costume. Sorry. WebStrange Law 1: Virginian motorists cannot drive if they are not wearing shoes. In Virginia, its illegal to tickle women. If someone damages, destroys, or defaces your property, you need to report the event to your local police station. Copyright 2022, Thomson Reuters. I wonder how that conversation went, Uh, yes, hi. Sodomy's Legal In Virginia, But Guess What's Still Prohibited? Strange Law 5: In Prince William County, Virginia, it is illegal for a motorist to park their vehicle on a set of railroad tracks. Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life. Fornication. For instance, its illegal to sell lettuce and peanut brittle on Sundays. Refusing to give in, Virginia's notoriously conservative Attorney General filed a cert petition in the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to reverse that decision. A lot of dumb laws prohibit certain activities on Sunday--lawmakers probably hope you'll go to church. Federal courts have scorned state sodomy laws for years. The Virginia Code has a chapter detailing certain crimes involving morals and decency.. specific places that you should avoid trespassing on. dumblaws.com Washington X-rays may not be used to fit shoes. Steven Depolo/Flickr (Be honest: Have you ever caught a mouse without a hunting license?) But in addition to prohibiting any unmarried person from having sex with any other person, Virginia has another law that makes it a misdemeanor to have sex with someone other than your spouse: Any person, being married, who voluntarily shall have sexual intercourse with any person not his or her spouse shall be guilty of adultery, punishable as a Class 4 misdemeanor. This list of oddball laws criminalizes actions ranging from duplicating house keys to concealing wills. Virginia has some of America's strangest and most restrictive laws regarding its citizens love lives. One of these inventions was an x-ray machine that let sellers view their customers feet while trying on different shoes. CyberPolicy is monitoring news of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and has activated a business continuity plan in response to the situation. When two Virginia men decided to steal a refrigerator from a new home site, it seemed easy enough. In most cases, yes. Specifically, because the US Supreme Court mentioned "adults" prosecutors continued to charge consenting 17 year olds with felonies for having consensual oral sex. You likely have a few times, at least when youve had to get a new auto insurance policy. Sorry, Willie, but welfares not going to cover those court costs. 18.2-344. This includes ATVs and similar vehicles. As with many of these laws, there are some exceptions: What this essentially means is that its perfectly legal to hunt on private property as long as you have the permission of the owner. Have you ever broken any of the laws listed above? Strange Law 14: If a male fondles a womans bottom, he can be sent to jail for 60 days.Every town has its own unique traits and quirks; Virginia isnt any different. There are several others! Thankfully the Supreme Court rejected his application and the legislature repeal of the bill made the issue moot. Youll have a good laugh at some of the following weird laws in Virginia. You must buy a license for 93 cents to sell song books on the street. WebA lot of dumb laws prohibit certain activities on Sunday--lawmakers probably hope you'll go to church. And so they did what anybody who thought this whole plan was a good one to begin with would do, they abandoned the truck. Even if you are not driving and the person driving is drunk you will both get DUIs in Virginia Beach, VA. As long as you beat her on the steps of the courthouse and its before 8:00pm. No shit? You are not allowed to drive past the same location more than once in thirty minuteson Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach. When it comes to strange things about Virginia, there are quite a few, such as its the birthplace of fraternities andstreaking. Even though Anna has lived other places, somehow Virginia is where she always seems to land. When a man in Virginia Beach was charged with auto theft, he knew that his best hope for leniency was to follow the rules. WebStupid Laws in Virginia Virginia Virginia Swearing at someone over the phone in virginia is punishable by a $100 fine. ''In the all-out effort to stop LGBT people from adopting children, this bill not only limits the opportunities to children to find loving homes, it will actually endanger LGBT children, who make up a significant number of children in our foster care system.''. Early on a Sunday morning, the men came crashing into Burley's Market Convenience store, tripping the alarm before stealing $1,500 in cigarettes and a case of beer-- all the while giving the surveillance cameras a good idea of their identity thanks to half-hearted disguises. As strange as these dumb Virginia laws may sound they are not often enforced. Since 1877 it had been a jail-able offense for unwed couples to live together. In these states, sodomy is only illegal for homosexuals: Montana, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Use of profane, threatening, or indecent language over public airways or by other methods. DELAWARE: It's a Yeah, all of you out there heading to Utah to hunt whales should just turn around, because, unfortunately, you won't have a whale of a time. You can still hunt on Sundays if you have both (1) written permission from the landowner, and (2) youre not hunting within 200 yards of a place of worship. any person who shines a light into a poultry house or similar structure at night. While the laws are stupid, they do give some legal leeway for other reasons. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. When Dominyk Antonio Alfonseca (shown above) posted his latest bank transaction to Instagram in May 2015, he had some sort of logic on his side, just not the kind that holds up in court. setting a trap that uses any firearm or similar deadly weapon that can be discharged using a string, wire, etc. Hmmthis one sounds just a bit on the outdated side. One of the popular-but-fake-sounding weird laws for Pennsylvania is that you cant catch a fish with your mouth. In Cleveland, it is illegal to catch mice without a hunting license. Production, publication, sale, possession, etc., of obscene items. Even more shocking until an appellate court You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Doing so is punishable as a Class 4 misdemeanor. The laws in virginia are stupid, but they do give some legal leeway. 1. As one interesting case of this, the Virginia Code has an entire section which makes it illegal to trespass on a cemetery at night. Utah, as in that landlocked state with at least two states between it and the ocean? A man may face 60 days in jail for patting a woman's derriere. One example is Richmond, where its illegal to flip a coin to determine who pays for coffee. Please be a lover, not a tickler. We have implemented precautionary and preparedness measures to reduce exposure to the coronavirus and are prepared to maintain normal business operations. The alert sheriff ran the plates, only to find it was stolen. (4) Have in his possession with intent to sell, rent, lend, transport, or distribute any obscene item. WebWEST VIRGINIA Dumb State Laws It is illegal to snooze on a train. Heres how. If you are in your own neighborhood, you can take it out of the state, but you have to do so within the boundaries of your neighborhood. The same goes for taking a car to a rental car lot. New Hampshire Facts Economy. 18.1- 363.1 Working or transacting business on Sunday (a.k.a Sunday Closing Laws or Blue Laws) According to this law, the state would basically shut down on Sundays. WebDumb Laws (List) Alabama: Anniston: You may not wear blue jeans down Noble Street. Supersized McMissile lands woman 2 years in jail, No riding on the handlebars of a bicycle in Virginia Beach. WebDisclaimer: The laws listed here are for entertainment purposes only. The list of dumb laws involving animals doesn't end here. There are several other illegal things in Virginia that will have you scratching your head. 21 Awesome Famous People You May Not Have Realized Are From Virginia, This Virginia Town Is One Of The Happiest Places In America, Visit The Friendliest Town In Virginia The Next Time You Need A Pick-Me-Up, Here Are 17 Crazy Street Names In Virginia That Will Leave You Baffled, 12 Fascinating Things You Probably Didnt Know About Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, The Small Cafe, Red Truck Bakery In Virginia Has Pies Known Around The World, Experience A Strange Phenomenon On Gravity Hill In Virginia, This House In Virginia Made Entirely Of Tombstones Is Beyond Eerie. Oh, right, you thought we covered this in the section on fornication. Some lawmakers, though not all, characterized this bill as nothing more than the codification of the status quo, according to Metro Weekly: But out gay Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax counties) told his colleagues that the bill was not about protecting religious views, but preventing LGBT individuals from adopting. However, it is permissible to kill raccoons. Added by IdiotLaws.com Staff | 2 Comments. The first fraternity came about in 1776, when Phi Beta Kappa was founded at the College of William and Mary. Stupid Laws reports that this stone throwing prohibition is listed in Section 15-53 of the Cumberland penal code. Inventors began looking for practical uses for the x-ray in everyday life. no longer applicable (in regard to current culture or modern law). WebHere is a list of some dumb laws that are still in action (or at least we believe they are). Part of HuffPost Politics. As Virginia residents increasingly turn to online marketplaces, it becomes much more likely for you to accidentally purchase stolen goods. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? There are also a couple of Virginia cities with strange laws. Could you let him know weve found his lost phone?. Only married couples or single persons are allowed to adopt under Virginia law. And get rid of that bear--it's also illegal to sell, purchase, possess or train a bear for the purposes of wrestling. It is illegal to use the telephone to either sell things or raise funds. Raccoons can be hunted until 2:00 a.m.Strange Law 11: Virginians cannot spit on seagulls. FindLaw.com Free, trusted legal information for consumers and legal professionals, SuperLawyers.com Directory of U.S. attorneys with the exclusive Super Lawyers rating, Abogado.com The #1 Spanish-language legal website for consumers, LawInfo.com Nationwide attorney directory and legal consumer resources. However, the settlers were forced to switch gears when a fungus killed all the trees that the silkworms fed on. Have we left any stories off the list? reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Sodomy is illegal, in general, in Idaho, Utah, Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. It is illegal for a woman to drive a car up Main Street unless her husband is walking in front of the car waving a red flag. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. WebDriving in circles is against the law. Its against the law to tickle a girl under her chin with a feather duster in order to get her attention. Or, maybe you know of some other fun facts about Virginia? Unless it's been smoked and processed within the Smithfield area, you could get fined for trying to label a generic ham as "Smithfield.". To give it back to the person who will keep it for you, they will have to give you the car keys. WebIn Hartford, it's illegal to collect "rags, paper, glass, old metal, junk, cinders or other waste matter in the city" without a license, according to Municode. Yeah, its illegal to call someone an asshole or a dickhead in Prince William Country, Virginia. The original settlers intended for Virginia to be a silk colony. Virginia is for prudes, according to the state's blue laws. Everyones heard of people who receive life in prison as punishment for their crimes. Well, you guys treat people well. Paying a $50 monthly premium compared to thousands of dollars in property damage seems like a fair trade off. Strange Law 13: It is illegal to curse at another person in town. Web8. This Virginia law prohibits saying nasty things over the phone, and it would appear to cover texts, too: 18.2-427. In Prince William County, the laws state you may not have a pet skunk. ), a cop came out to investigate, only to find Morris chilling in the drivers seat with crack cocaine in his lap and a digital scale on the seat next to him. Citizens must honk their horn while passing other cars. In some ways that just isn't true. If any person profanely curses or swears or is intoxicated in public, whether such intoxication results from alcohol [or drugs]he shall be deemed guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor., Futher, this code section states that if an officer catches you swearing in public, while drunk, they can either arrest you or transport you to a detoxification center in lieu of arrest.. Those who live in Frederick could get fined $2,500. Even more shocking until an appellate court decision in 2005 Virginia had an anti-fornication law that made it a class 4 misdemeanor for an unmarried person to have "sexual intercourse with any other person.". Any person, not being married, who voluntarily shall have sexual intercourse with any other person, shall be guilty of fornication, punishable as a Class 4 misdemeanor. We respond to all communications within one business day. In July 2013, two men in Campbell County You may be smart, and you may have strong opinions, but you cant go around giving legal advice for a living or practicing law unless youre a lawyer. ZIP Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help. If you practice law without a license, youll be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Not only was Morris watching a show about drug dealers on a small TV in the car, police also found heroin, measuring and distribution equipment and a stolen handgun. New Hampshires gross state product (GSP) in 2019 reached $77.9bn, with a growth of 2.3% over the 5-years to 2019. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Strange Law 3: Police are not allowed to use speed radar detectors. The law repealed the state's ban on cohabitation. If you find yourself on the wrong side of these laws, make sure to speak with an experienced attorney immediately. Don't you think? Generally speaking, this means you have to go to law school and pass the bar exam in order to represent other people in court. The state of New Hampshire has a population of 1,359,711 and annual population growth of 0.4% over the five years to 2019 which ranks 24 out of all 50 US states. To begin with an incredibly specific one, it is currently illegal to shine a light into a poultry house or similar structure in a way which might cause the animals to panic or become injured. It is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle. Remember, kids. This is one of those laws is such a weird concept, I do not believe there is a clear cut reason for it. It is illegal to flip a coin in a restaurant to see who pays for a coffee. One law that definitely isnt strange and needs to be followed is the states auto insurance law. In other cases, they may simply be holdovers from previous decades. While some make sense (at least a little), most of the illegal things in Virginia will make you wonder how the issue ever became a legal matter in the first place. There are also a couple Your email address will not be published. Auto insurance laws in Virginia only work to help the community, but what about some of its other, stranger laws? Here are 13 weird laws in Ohio that we are willing to bet you didnt know about. (Repealed), You cannot sell lettuce on Sunday, but you can sell beer, wine etc. But some dumb laws, like one in Virginia, take this one step further. WebBirds of the prey include broad-winged hawks, osprey, and barred owls. If you are drunk and not driving your car, and the person who is driving the car is drunk as well, you may both receive DUI's. But some dumb laws, like one in Virginia, take this one step further. He was later caught and charged with attempted armed robbery, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and a few other things. code or county). Fill out the form below and well be in touch within 1 business day! Specifically, any person who shines a light into a poultry house or similar structure at night may be charged with a Class 4 misdemeanor. Schedule your consultation today and lets talk about what we can do for you! State She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. It is illegal to use profanity on Atlantic Avenue or the boardwalk. Were a Richmond, Virginia law firm with clients from around the world. After putting 26 gallons of milk in his cart and sauntering out of the store, on 2 legs by this time (does that make it LESS weird? Marriage between persons of same sex. He added that he expects SB 349 to lead to legislation in the future that ''does directly what this bill does indirectly, achieving the ultimate goal'' of banning outright the ability of LGBT individuals to adopt. It's very much against the law there. (Unless specifically stated, the images shown below are representative of the story only and are in no way connected to the criminals or crime scenes themselves.). When will lawyers, judges, and jurys learn that a supersized McDonald drink is not the same thing as an inter-continental ballistic missile. In this article, we list 9 strange laws in the Virginia criminal code which are still relevant today, from trespassing in a graveyard to swearing in public. The reason is that you can only legally drive a vehicle on your own street. How dumb is that? Next, he waited for the armored car in an alley. Jacob has been our lawyer for 3 years now and he is excellent. Keep in mind that Virginia's constitution specifically prohibits same-sex marriage. Dumb Virginia laws and humor, relating to many aspects of the state, its weather, It goes on for miles. We have tried to cite specific references when available but, we make no guarantees on the validity of these Next on the list of dumb laws is bear wrestling. The lawsuit was filed in federal court 1. However, if someone finds a bird fitted with a transmitter, they may misunderstand the device and remove it. Law requires all bathtubs to be kept out in the yards, not inside the houses. Possession in public or in a public place of any obscene item as defined in this article shall be deemed prima facie evidence of a violation of this section. A person often a child would put their foot inside. "Frankly it wouldn't hurt to enforce them more." The only *minor* flaw in his plan was that he failed to change his clothes. The fornication law is still on the books -- meaning it hasn't been repealed -- despite being struck down by the Virginia Supreme Court in 2005. Just so were clear, no, you can drive your car wherever you want, but you will be breaking laws that dont exist because of this. Its a fact of life. Strange Law 4: In Waynesboro, Virginia, it is illegal for a female motorist to drive her car along Main Street unless her husband is walking in front of the vehicle waving a red flag in his hands. While it may sound obvious, traps which use deadly weapons are illegal in Virginia. Here are just a few of the criminals in Virginia that will make you think twice about the current state of the human raceor at least give you a good laugh. Ultimately, however, they still have to refer unpaid accounts to a lawyer for litigation. Virginia is home to over 500 freshwater and It is illegal to spit, loogie, puke or urinate on the streets. So, here you have it: dumb laws involving animals. Get more stories delivered right to your email. As he reported to a local news station (before asking to give shout outs to Michelle Obama, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga), I videotaped it. He has been great for us, the very best. Make sure you dont ride a taxi in this one weird way or you will spend some time in the clink. Let us knowin the comments below. WebThe law was passed in 1951 and seeks to reduce fire accidents caused by mishandling of flammable material by untrained personnel, and anyone violating this law is liable for a about FindLaws newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy. The one whose polite note read, Make sure the money doesn't BLOW UP ON MY WAY OUT followed by a winkie-face emoticon? A federal judge ruled that the man hadnt actually done anything wrong. Meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and how to best protect your rights. Virginia lawmakers passed the Crimes Against Nature Law in 1950 and swept oral and anal sex in with bestiality as prohibited acts. It is legal for a male to have sex with an animal as long as it does not exceed 40 lbs. After hearing the repeated honking (why, Brian? You always look for a way to help your clients.