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Okay, so I got asked why I wish we could make ignorance of the law an excuse for not obeying.
The logic seems simple: Why would we want to allow people to claim "I didn't know" in response to being thrown in jail?
Check out Dumb Laws. A few wonderful examples:
That's just some of the more blatant ones. Toss in the IRS tax code, which requires a specialist to fully understand everything (thus getting the maximum deductions, and maintaining the most of your money). Throw in a federal criminal code, a state criminal code, a county criminal code, and a township criminal code.
Now, consider this: Drive from town A to town B, and pass through town C. It is possible to do something that is considered a crime in town C, even though it's very possible that you never even stop in the town, and obey all the normal traffic laws.
It's even more fun if you cross a state line on a regular basis, since you can have two different states, and multiple townships, to contend with.
Finally, for real fun, there are townships where it is difficult, if not impossible, to get a list of the laws which you are supposed to follow. The lawyers who actually write the laws are claiming copyright on the laws, and preventing open distribution to the public.
So, at least in this country (USA), it is difficult, if not impossible, to know all the laws to which you are subjected at any one time. And quite a few of them exist such that you would never expect to run afoul of them, because you just can't imagine they exist.
Even with all that, we can't allow ignorance of the law to be an excuse, because then some jackass will claim "When did the law get written that said I couldn't hurt someone while they were beating my dog?", and that will open the floodgates.
This is a problem that I just don't know how to fix.
The logic seems simple: Why would we want to allow people to claim "I didn't know" in response to being thrown in jail?
Check out Dumb Laws. A few wonderful examples:
- New Jersey: It is against the law to “frown” at a police officer.
- Pennsylvania: It is illegal to have over 16 women live in a house together because that constitutes a brothel.
- New York: It is illegal to have over 16 women live in a house together because that constitutes a brothel.
That's just some of the more blatant ones. Toss in the IRS tax code, which requires a specialist to fully understand everything (thus getting the maximum deductions, and maintaining the most of your money). Throw in a federal criminal code, a state criminal code, a county criminal code, and a township criminal code.
Now, consider this: Drive from town A to town B, and pass through town C. It is possible to do something that is considered a crime in town C, even though it's very possible that you never even stop in the town, and obey all the normal traffic laws.
It's even more fun if you cross a state line on a regular basis, since you can have two different states, and multiple townships, to contend with.
Finally, for real fun, there are townships where it is difficult, if not impossible, to get a list of the laws which you are supposed to follow. The lawyers who actually write the laws are claiming copyright on the laws, and preventing open distribution to the public.
So, at least in this country (USA), it is difficult, if not impossible, to know all the laws to which you are subjected at any one time. And quite a few of them exist such that you would never expect to run afoul of them, because you just can't imagine they exist.
Even with all that, we can't allow ignorance of the law to be an excuse, because then some jackass will claim "When did the law get written that said I couldn't hurt someone while they were beating my dog?", and that will open the floodgates.
This is a problem that I just don't know how to fix.
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