There is no shortage of myths and misconceptions when it comes to the law. Ed Herman of Brown & Crouppen is here to show us some things that people think are illegal to do, but are in fact completely legal in most circumstances.
First, should you allow a child under the age of 17 to see an R-rated movie without an adult? Ed says this is not illegal, and is not even a law at all. This rule is just a voluntary guideline put out by the Motion Picture Association. The fact that it is not a law does not mean that a kid can go into a theater a demand to see an R-rated movie as the theaters will still enforce the rules that they choose to. But, if a kid 17 or under ends up seeing an R-rated movie, they have not broken the law.
Next, should you be allowed to use a radar detector? If you are in a commercial vehicle, then it is illegal to use a radar detector. But, if you are in your private vehicle then it is legal to use a radar detector, except in Virginia and Washington DC.
Sticking with cars, are you allowed to drive barefoot? Yes, this is not illegal. Some studies have been done to suggest that driving barefoot is actually safer than a couple of alternatives such as driving in 2-inch heels or wet flip-flops.
Moving to law enforcement, are undercover police officers allowed to lie if you ask them point blank, “Are you an undercover police officer?” Yes, it is not illegal for them to lie to you about being undercover. If it were illegal, then it would be almost impossible for any officer to stay undercover. Now this does not mean that all the evidence they collect is automatically admissible, but you can expect an undercover officer to keep their cover and not admit that they are a police officer.
For those who like to gamble, is it illegal to count cards? Ed says it is not if you do it completely in your mind, and by yourself. This means you cannot have a partner and you cannot sit there with a calculator or a notepad. Casinos might frown on it and throw you out, but you cannot get arrested for it.
If you need legal advice, give the experts at Brown & Crouppen a call at 314-222-2222, visit their website, or find them on YouTube.