Today I thought we could look beyond the LSAT and gaze a little into your future as a law student and lawyer. Soon your days will be filled with casebooks, opinions, and laws. After three years of law school, your head will be filled with millions of laws, statutes and rules—many of which are in place to uphold justice, but others are archaic and bizarre. I thought taking a sec to go over some really odd laws would be a nice way to take a break from your LSAT prep.
So here are ten of the oddest laws that are currently in place in the United States of America:
- In San Francisco, it’s illegal to pile horse manure more than six feet high on a street corner. So if you end up with a bunch of horse manure, make sure to spread out your piles evenly so they all end up less than six feet high.
- In Florida, men seen publicly in any kind of strapless gown can be fined. So, men, don your finest halters and short sleeve gowns, but leave those strapless dresses at home!
- In South Carolina it is legal to beat your wife on the courthouse steps on Sundays. Well, that’s just absurd!
- In New York, the penalty for jumping off a building is death. Oh, the irony.
- In New York City, it is illegal for a restaurant to call a sandwich a “corned beef sandwich” if it’s made with white bread and mayonnaise. In my opinion, all sandwiches with mayo should be illegal.
- In Eureka, Nevada, it is still illegal for men with moustaches to kiss women. I’m all for this law. Moustaches are itchy, people!
- In Zion, Illinois, it is still illegal to offer cigars to your pets. I hear Zion has the lowest rate of Golden Retriever lung cancer…coincidence?
- In Baltimore, Maryland, it is an offence to take a lion into a cinema. But, what if Mufasa wants to see Dallas Buyer’s Club?!?
- In Hastings, Nebraska, the law states that a hotel owner has a duty to provide a clean white cotton nightshirt for each guest. I know where my next vacation is going to be!
- In Iowa, it is illegal for horses to eat fire hydrants. I want to meet the horse that forced this law to be passed.
Want more? Don’t worry. We’ll have a monthly segment of oddball American laws and possibly even bizarre international laws.
See all the amazing laws you might one day get to uphold when you wield your title of attorney? But, first, you must walk the path of your LSAT prep. Keep it up! We’re only a few months away from the June 2015 LSAT!
Happy Studying!