All Questions
2,831
questions
64
votes
4
answers
49k
views
Is it illegal to run away from a police officer in a way that provokes them, in the US?
So I know this is very silly and obviously hypothetical, but I've wondered about it for a while.
Let's say you aren't doing anything (else) illegal, you don't have anything illegal on you, and you ...
- 641
61
votes
10
answers
25k
views
Can I legally include a line break in my child's name?
Ethics aside, is it legal (or even possible) to include a line break (newline) in my child's name? Preferably at the end of the child's first name, directly after the last letter. So instead of (for ...
- 680
56
votes
3
answers
14k
views
Can I sign legal documents with a smiley face?
The signature on my driver's license is a unique and identifiable smiley face :-)
I use this signature to sign all legally binding documents. A lot of the time, people reject it, and request an &...
- 1,028
49
votes
5
answers
27k
views
Why are people sentenced to prison for terms longer than life?
Albert Morake was sentenced to 1,535 years in prison.
How can a person be sentenced to more than 1 life imprisonment?
- 601
47
votes
4
answers
17k
views
Is it illegal to infringe copyright if your boss or your client ordered you to do it?
The first possible scenario is this: suppose you work in a company, and you need to install some software for a client. The software needs to be purchased, but the boss tells you to just download it ...
- 1,828
42
votes
3
answers
9k
views
Landlord gives 4 months notice to the rental agency which fails to give notice to the tenants
I am renting and I have been given a 1 month and half notice from my rental agency. In UK at the moment the minimum notice is 4 months. The landlord actually says that he gave the agency full 4 ...
- 509
39
votes
4
answers
9k
views
Consent to searches: Who wins "my-word-against-yours?"
Hypothetical
Officer testifies citizen consented to be searched.
Citizen denies consenting to be searched.
There is no other evidence (that weighs net in favor of either party).
Question
Whom ...
- 9,818
34
votes
5
answers
13k
views
Is it legal to break into a locked car to get a child out in hot weather?
The NHTSA's page about heat stroke in cars seems to imply that if you see a child left in a locked car on a hot day, you should break into the car to get the child out. "If you see a child alone ...
- 13.8k
34
votes
3
answers
30k
views
What is the legal take on the trolley problem?
From the Wikipedia page on the trolley problem:
There is a runaway trolley barreling down the railway tracks. Ahead,
on the tracks, there are five people tied up and unable to move. The
trolley ...
- 815
30
votes
3
answers
16k
views
What does "corruption of blood" mean?
Having read this question, it makes reference to treason, to which part of it states:
The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work ...
29
votes
3
answers
9k
views
Can the President of the United States pardon proactively?
President Trump's administration has just formally started the transition process. He is now officially a lame-duck President. It is common for outgoing Presidents to grant pardons in this last phase ...
- 4,747
26
votes
6
answers
4k
views
How do free-speech protections in the United States apply in public to corporate misrepresentations?
Last night, I was driving behind a truck that had a very official-looking sign like this:
(Sign says, "WARNING STAY BACK 200 FT. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR BROKEN WINDSHIELDS!")
Some cursory Googling ...
25
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Under what circumstances am I obliged to show ID to a police officer?
In the UK, if a police constable stops you on the street and asks for your ID, when are you required by law to give it to them? Must there be reasonable suspicion of a crime?
What about if you're ...
- 858
24
votes
4
answers
20k
views
Can one be liable for poisoning food one expects to be stolen?
A friend of mine posted about how someone keeps stealing her food at work, and I recommended she lace it with some insanely hot hot sauce. Someone else commented that she could be liable for ...
- 923
23
votes
3
answers
9k
views
Can U.S. states establish state religions?
The first amendment says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the ...
- 1,714
22
votes
1
answer
6k
views
What are "freemen of the land" or "sovereign citizen" theories and do they hold any water?
Various questions so far have asked about the constitutionality, or not, of various freemen theories, which include "Fourteenth Amendment" citizens and is quite possibly a variant of the Sovereign ...
- 12.1k
21
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Can a vaccine be required by law?
This question came up because I read that Bolsonaro, Brazil's president, was criticized by the opposition for saying that COVID-19 vaccinations won't be mandatory. The opposition said that the vaccine ...
21
votes
5
answers
11k
views
What happens if I shoot a police officer in self-defense during a SWAT raid?
No-knock SWAT raids are very popular, especially in the US. But how do you know that the heavily armed persons are policemen? Isn't it very easy to mistake them for robbers? What if I try to defend ...
- 373
21
votes
5
answers
4k
views
How are expert witnesses motivated?
As a party to a court case, how can one motivate to testify a person who has the wanted expertise? Offer them $$$? (Let's not consider those expert witnesses who make living by testifying / actively ...
- 25.6k
19
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Under which law the person who commits a crime on the moon gets prosecuted?
I can understand that if an astronaut attack an other astronaut inside a spaceship he/she will have to answer to the law of the country which owns the ship but what if the attack happened on the moon?
- 1,329
19
votes
1
answer
9k
views
Do warranty disclaimers in software licenses carry any legal weight?
Most open source software licenses contain, in capital letters, the following disclaimer:
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT ...
- 435
19
votes
3
answers
72k
views
If an adult is raped by a minor, is it statutory rape?
Say an adult is raped by a minor, and does not give legally applicable consent regardless of knowledge of age of the minor. Do statutory rape charges against the adult still apply?
- 2,137
18
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Is the right to keep and bear crypto protected by the Second Amendment?
Stumbled across an interesting comment in regards to the recent events about TorProject and a public library in Lebanon, New Hampshire, U. S. of A.:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r30291606-So-let-me-...
- 5,018
17
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Is there any remedy for unnecessary insult by police in the course of their lawful duties?
Following up on Are there any remedies for abusive or insulting behavior by agents executing a search warrant? the more subtle question needs the following elaboration:
My impression is that as far ...
- 21.7k
17
votes
4
answers
9k
views
Can numbers be illegal?
This video explaining this wikipedia article says that possessing a particular number can be illegal. Is this true?
From the article (internal links and formatting removed):
An illegal prime is a ...
- 307
17
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What is the value in adding an email confidentiality notice?
The company I work for adds a disclaimer on the bottom of each email. I was wondering if it had any value. I'll list part of it below:
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message is for the sole ...
- 273
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Can I name a real company after a fictional company found in a book?
Can I name my company after a fictional company (of the same type) found in a book?
16
votes
5
answers
967
views
Can an extra-terrestrial be legally adopted?
Background: My client has disclosed to me that he is an extra-terrestrial entity who arrived from another planet some time after 1900. He was sent to Earth in a rocket by his (now dead) parents, then ...
- 3,956
15
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Do police have a civil duty to do their job?
If someone steals my car and the police refuse to respond, and in fact prevent me from taking action to recover the car.
Can police be sued for not doing their job? I.e., if I spend millions of ...
user31975
15
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Can a lawyer subject the court to a (temporary) ruse for a legitimate purpose?
This question is about the legality of a possible defence tactic that might be used in a criminal trial. It is a variation on things you see in lawyer movies fairly commonly. Suppose that a criminal ...
- 333
14
votes
2
answers
986
views
If I live in the US can I be prosecuted for answers describing illegal activities?
The internet allows for some level of anonymity and occasionally you will find posts that give detailed descriptions of how to perform an activity that is illegal. Examples may include how to ...
- 465
14
votes
2
answers
19k
views
(When) are police required to identify themselves?
It was my understanding that when a citizen asks for an officer's name and badge number, they're required to provide it to you (in Michigan).
Is there a law pertaining to this? If so, is it only the ...
- 367
14
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Why do courts dismiss cases as moot?
Trump recently received a subpoena that would have forced him to testify at a trial. He appealed it saying he couldn't be compelled to testify as the sitting president. The appeal is now dismissed as ...
- 2,407
14
votes
1
answer
10k
views
How to prove the genuinity/nongenuinity of a signature?
I'm not a law student, but I'm very interested in the topic and learning in general.
I got curious about contracts and signatures recently, so I wondered if there have been cases where contracts ...
- 243
13
votes
2
answers
8k
views
Which state has jurisdiction in a case of a murder in an airplane?
A murder happened in an airplane flying from country A to country B when crossing above country C.
Who will have jurisdiction?
Bonus question: What if countries A, B and C are members of the ...
- 233
13
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Can one be prosecuted in the US for buying stolen goods if one was unaware that it was stolen?
I have a practical example question that this applies to, so I'd like to know the answer in general, but specifically how it applies here.
Let's say I find something I'd like to buy on Craigslist, ...
- 131
13
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is it legal to write software to convert data from a proprietary format?
I have created a piece of software that converts a proprietary format from the database blob of a large, well known commercial software company into the equivalent open source data type. The large ...
- 131
12
votes
4
answers
12k
views
What exactly is a "title of nobility" under the US Constitution?
Article 1, sections 9 & 10 of the US constitution prohibit granting titles of nobility by the federal government or the states. What exactly is a title of nobility for these purposes? Why is (say) ...
- 221
12
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Why does the GDPR matter to me, a US citizen with no property in Europe?
I run a Web site. I am a natural-born US citizen. I own no property outside the US. Why does my Web site have to be GDPR compliant? Even if a European court convicts me of a crime, does it really ...
- 13.8k
12
votes
2
answers
989
views
Claiming my own country
Let's say one day, as I sail across the pacific, I come across an uncharted island.
This island is not anywhere near the borders of existing countries. It is unoccupied.
Can I put up a flag on the ...
- 1,703
12
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Bike locked to mine: am I allowed to cut through the lock on my own?
Bob locked his bike. Two hours after he found another bike locked to his. Is he allowed to cut through the lock that doesn't belong to him on his own?
I am mostly interested in the following ...
- 5,427
12
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Getting paid by mistake after leaving a company?
Pretend someone worked at a company and was paid monthly. A month after leaving they are paid their severance, and should not receive any payment in the future.
A month later, they are contacted by ...
- 688
12
votes
6
answers
5k
views
Can a photo that contains a trademark be used by a political campaign?
There's a current kerfuffle regarding a campaign photo used by the Biden campaign.
The photo shows the logo for the Washington Redskins in the original photo but removed in the photo displayed on CNN....
- 5,565
12
votes
4
answers
1k
views
What methods exist to provide relief in criminal cases where the state refuses to prosecute?
In this question it was shown that it is not possible to bypass the States Attorney before the grand jury. But what relief exists in cases where Prosecutorial Discretion might be used to protect ...
- 528
12
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Does indecent exposure require intentionality?
Meet Bob. Bob went out on the town wearing boxer shorts which in itself is entirely legal. A security guard pointed out to Bob that his shorts were unbuttoned so Bob buttoned them up. They later ...
11
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Do legal tender laws prevent "no cash" restaurants?
This story about restaurants that only accept electronic payment set me wondering. I know that under legal tender laws a business can set a policy on what forms of payment it will accept, but that ...
- 13k
11
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Does copyrighted code protect intellectual property rights on novel algorithms it implements?
Imagine you have come up with a novel algorithm to solve a problem, and have implemented it in, e.g., javascript, and have put its src, along with an appropriate copyright, on a publicly available ...
user2815
10
votes
3
answers
597
views
What kind of a legal action a man needs to take prior to having sex with a woman in order to make sure she can't accuse him of rape?
A marriage contract? I have been told the wife can claim that her husband has raped her.
A signed document stating that she is having sex willingly? I have been told she can claim later that she ...
- 1,329
10
votes
2
answers
459
views
At what point and how should I change the license/Copyright notice when I create a derivative?
If I take a piece of software that is licensed as MIT (quoted at the end), and use it as a scaffold to create for my own thing, do I need to keep including the old license perpetually? This would seem ...
- 201
10
votes
4
answers
14k
views
Why are private game servers illegal?
Over on Arqade we were discussing a question which was asking about private servers for a game called World of Warcraft. The discussion was about if using and/or hosting a private server is illegal ...
- 201