There are several really stupid laws that litter the books. However, no matter how asinine you may think those laws are, they are still laws and you can still fall prey to them in the courts. Here are a few of those ludicrous laws and what to do if you find yourself on the wrong side of them.
Image via Flickr by Sam Howzit
Law: New York Law States that you cannot get divorced unless you can agree on irreconcilable differences.
This law is a little ridiculous and a little spiteful, as if the justice system itself is trying to remind you exactly what marriage is all about. In the 1970s, California joined Oklahoma in the fight against having to have a reason to get divorced other than “we just don’t get along.” The state of New York has taken this clause, which is now widely accepted throughout the United States, and created a loophole. The state of New York refuses to acknowledge the no-fault divorce decision. This means that either one party or the other must be at fault and must take the blame for something. If that isn’t the route you and your ex decide to go, you should know that you will have to agree on at least one more thing before you’re allowed to get divorced: agree that you can’t agree and that it is someone’s fault.
If you find yourself in this type of bind, be prepared to bite the bullet and take yourself to court. If it’s something that you and your significant other want, be sure to talk to your lawyer about it and come up with a reason that you two cannot seem to get your act together. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking the fall in the short-term if you happen to get what you want in the long term. However, please don’t make any decisions without our lawyer present or you could end up in a world of hurt.
Law: Florida drivers must have no-fault insurance
In the state of Florida, don’t expect to get a huge pay out if you happen to be involved with an automobile accident. The state requires that all owners and potential drivers of vehicles happen to have auto insurance that forces them to have $10,000 worth of personal liability coverage. What this means is that you have to pay for an insurance that will take care of any and all major medical expenses in the event of some sort of accident. You cannot rely on the coverage of the other party’s coverage and will need to move forward with your insurance to make sure you are covered as far as damages and injuries. However, the no-fault law does not require that insurance premiums stay the same. In fact, your insurance company can raise your premiums to the fullest extent of the law. If you find yourself in this sort of situation, be fully prepared to buckle down for the long haul.
You will spend endless days battling with your insurance company. You will want to write down every conversation, record every session you’ve had with the police department, be sure to ask for a copy of the accident report, and retain any and all medical information for your records. If you find yourself in a particularly nasty battle with the other party, hire a lawyer to smooth out the rough edges and check to see if the other party is digging for a settlement. Unfortunately, this does tend to happen and you need to protect yourself against it.
Law: California’s “No dog without its master on a leash” law
This law is more so for laughs than anything else. While most if not all states happen to have a leash law of some sort, thanks to the ill-used syntax and the lack of placement with the comma. “No dog is allowed in public without its master on a leash.” There’s really not much fighting this law, however, you could always argue that it is open to interpretation if you so desire to have your hound run around freely. Just make sure you’re the one wearing the leash.
There are plethora of laws that make no sense within the legal system. Sometimes, you just have to know how to handle them and whether or not to fight. Can you think of a few other laws that just don’t make any sense? See also http://www.usblawg.com/funny-laws/9-of-the-most-ridiculous-lawsuits-in-the-us-courts/
