Sometimes, these laws are there for a very specific purpose. Because the state's restrictions on same-sex couples adopting children weren't stringent enough apparently for legislators, even in the face of new efforts to place children in loving homes, last year the Virginia Legislature passed a new law giving child placement agencies the option of not putting kids in situations that "would violate the agency's written religious or moral convictions or policies.". Part of HuffPost Politics. Added by IdiotLaws.com Staff | 2 Comments. Review personalized quotes, select coverages, and buy online - Everything insurance, all-in-one-place. When two Virginia men decided to steal a refrigerator from a new home site, it seemed easy enough. 18.2-344. Thank you! I wonder how that conversation went, Uh, yes, hi. Generally speaking, this means you have to go to law school and pass the bar exam in order to represent other people in court. You are not allowed to us profanity on Atlantic Ave. or on the Boardwalk. You are not allowed to drive past the same location more than once in thirty minuteson Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach. We like to think of ourselves as law-abiding citizens here in Virginia. It is legal for a man to beat his wife on the courthouse steps so long as it is before 8:00 pm. 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 Schedule your consultation today and lets talk about what we can do for you! The wording of the towns barbershop permit law indicates that the permit will be revoked if youre caught operating without a permit. 1. If you practice law without a license, youll be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Surprisingly, the laws mentioned above arent the only weird laws in Virginia. When it comes to strange things about Virginia, there are quite a few, such as its the birthplace of fraternities andstreaking. Swearing at someone over the phone in virginia is punishable by a $100 fine. Its illegal to imitate a police whistle. Can you imagine how much nosier traffic would be if everyone honked the horn as they passed? A federal judge ruled that the man hadnt actually done anything wrong. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Because dumb laws are plentiful in this little country of ours, it was difficult to choose just which laws to highlight. Skunks are not allowed to be kept as pets. 5 Steps to Take if Someone Vandalizes Your Property in Virginia. Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help. Fuckers! The starkly explicit sodomy law that helped undo gubernatorial would-be Ken Cuccinelli has been struck down. Love Virginia? 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. A person often a child would put their foot inside. To give it back to the person who will keep it for you, they will have to give you the car keys. Do you know how hard it is to find a lawyer that you can trust? 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. It is illegal to kick your wife out of bed. 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. Reallyyou don't have to tell us twice. Auto insurance laws in Virginia only work to help the community, but what about some of its other, stranger laws? Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. One of Virginias Weirdest Laws: The Crimes Against Nature Law. (Belofsky) Youve got to give Dwayne from Virginia some credit. In Virginia, its illegal to tickle women. Lets just say its a good thing a lot of these arent strictly enforced. With the silkworms food source completely depleted, the settlers decided to plant tobacco. As he ran, a dye pack exploded and left him in a ratherummmagitated state. If someone damages, destroys, or defaces your property, you need to report the event to your local police station. The law repealed the state's ban on cohabitation. Strange Law 3: Police are not allowed to use speed radar detectors. This site is protected by This law is not unique to Virginia, as many other states also recognize the danger this action poses to the public. Eric Nielson / flickr. He pursued an affair with another woman, but when the relationship went south, she called the cops. WebMeriting its own state law, crawfish theft in excess of $1,500 can land the offender with up to ten years prison time or a $3,000 fine. That ban was just lifted in 2013. Remember, kids. Dyllan Naecker, 29, was hiding out in Bluefield after fleeing Maryland where he was wanted as a registered sex offender, when his girlfriend, Samantha Dillow decided to help out. You would think that, being in jail and all, you might want to share some basic jailhouse rules with your friends and family before they send care packages. Thank you! Citizens must honk their horn while passing other cars. That's right, we take our cured meats very seriously in Virginia. Finally, in 2013 a federal appellate court directly held that the Crimes Against Nature law was unconstitutional. Oral sex is often considered sodomy by many states, according to the Hebrew Bible. Here are 13 weird laws in Ohio that we are willing to bet you didnt know about. In 2003 the United States Supreme Court held that states cannot ban private non-commercial sex between consenting adults. "I think [adultery laws] ought to stay on the books," Cuccinelli says. Meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and how to best protect your rights. 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. States fighting to hold on to slavery began tightening literacy laws in the early 1830s. But there are those criminals who take their bad choices to a WHOLE new level. Women cant drive cars..Unless Registering as a married couple at a hotel if not married = legal marriage WebDumb Virginia laws, clean, updated often, and filtered for the best quality. And if you swear at someone over the phone, This Virginia law prohibits saying nasty things over the phone, and it would appear to cover texts, too: 18.2-427. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in California, in which the man was suing the state for being an abusive and unconstitutional government. This includes ATVs and similar vehicles. Its illegal to cuss about another person (Prince William County). any person who shines a light into a poultry house or similar structure at night. 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. Copyright 2022, Thomson Reuters. Have we left any stories off the list? No skating down the sidewalk of Main Street in Victoria. And so they did what anybody who thought this whole plan was a good one to begin with would do, they abandoned the truck. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. And get rid of that bear--it's also illegal to sell, purchase, possess or train a bear for the purposes of wrestling. The only catch was that the police then had direct access to HER Facebook page, which not only showed pictures of Naecker, but led the police to the couples location. The Washington Post reported in July 2013 that Travis Montgomery Snyder broke into a Fairfax County cell phone store, smashed a glass case and stole a number of iPhones. There are also a couple of Virginia cities with strange laws. A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Alexandria. In the early 20th century, x-rays were starting to be used regularly in medicine, and the public was fascinated by the invention. Were all guilty of this at one point or another. The list of dumb laws involving animals doesn't end here. In this article, well explore what this actually means in Virginia. Even though Anna has lived other places, somehow Virginia is where she always seems to land. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Did you know that you can't hunt whales in Utah? Below, well outline the 9 sections weve found to be the most interesting. Natural scientists in Virginia have been able to gather information about animals, especially large birds, by using tiny GPS transmitters to track their location and flight patterns. In Prince William County, the laws state you may not have a pet skunk. Wife beating is legal in Stafford County! Strange law 2: Virginian motorists must honk their horns if they are attempting to pass another What Happens to Repeat Drug Offenders in Virginia? But legal observers have come to this interpretation. The laws in California, which are pretty dumb, are a result of a case where a man filed a lawsuit stating that he had an accident in California. Sorry. Virginia is for Lovers has been the tourism and travel slogan of the Commonwealth of Virginia since 1969. WebHere is a list of some dumb laws that are still in action (or at least we believe they are). Cheating in Virginia isn't just wrong, it's a crime. All rights reserved. But when the truck got stuck in the construction site mud, they decided the fridge was too heavy, so they put it back banging up newly finished walls and floors along the way. Only in Virginia. These transmitters are light (less than 80 grams) and dont hinder the bird at all. reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Virginia has some of America's strangest and most restrictive laws regarding its citizens love lives. If you own a car, and you dont want to own it anymore you can give it to a charity, but the charity has to give it back to you when you take it out of the charitys hands. Call us today to schedule an appointment or fill out a quick form to let us know youre ready to talk. However, youre more likely to be charged under Va. Code 18.2-415 for disorderly conduct than specifically for swearing in public. What Does Life in Prison Actually Mean in Virginia? Just don't try that stuff in Cumberland. When Brian Morris decided to turn his car into a Drug Deals on Wheels operation, he might have chosen a better market than right next to Richmonds anti-drug Neighborhood Resource Center, which just so happened to be hosting a community event with police officers in attendance. You gave me confidence throughout my case that things would turn out well, and I would recommend you to everyone who needs a lawyer. Keep in mind that Virginia's constitution specifically prohibits same-sex marriage. Breaking and entering is a felony in Virginia. Virginia staff writer for Only in Your State, freelance writer and journalist. Any marriage entered into by persons of the same sex in another state or jurisdiction shall be void in all respects in Virginia and any contractual rights created by such marriage shall be void and unenforceable. WebDumb Laws (List) Alabama: Anniston: You may not wear blue jeans down Noble Street. It is legal for a male to have sex with an animal as long as it does not exceed 40 lbs. This could also cause a little road rage. Strange Law 13: It is illegal to curse at another person in town. Manners count. In July 2013, two men in Campbell County 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. Its illegal to tickle women. Animal Welfare Editor, The Huffington Post. Under Virginia law, trespassing and breaking and entering are very different crimes with equally different penalties, ranging from a small fine to years in jail. However, it is permissible to kill raccoons. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. The state law actually outlaws the promotion, engagement in, or employment at a bear wrestling match. In most cases, yes. When Dennis Wayne Sullivan of Front Royal planned to steal a cash pick-up from the Bowl America in Prince William County, he had it all figured out. Use of profane, threatening, or indecent language over public airways or by other methods. Crime is never a good life choiceI think we can all agree on that. Like a repentant citizen, he appeared in court, on time, just as he was supposed to. But before you get celebrating -- and please, no photos -- bear in mind that the Old Dominion still has plenty of laws banning a host of feisty activities that you might have thought would be mostly private matters. More on Ebbin: He introduced the legislation that pushed Virginia's state slogan -- "Virginia Is For Lovers" -- one step closer to reality. Not destroying the earth is good. 1. WebHere are the most ridiculous Virginia laws we could find: Children cannot go Trick-or-Treating on Halloween (any other time of the year is apparently acceptable). 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