Legal Affairs

We enjoy a complex love-hate relationship with the law: While we expect it to protect our interests, we don’t want to see ourselves held accountable to it. We therefore cheer the wrongdoers who put one over on the legal system, while lamenting the real crooks who slip away.

Can Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Kids Ever Be US President? Could the children of British royals make a comeback in the former British colony?

Mixture

Does the Lawless Yellowstone ‘Zone of Death’ Exist? Reports speculate that “murder is legal” in this area.

Mixture

Is It Illegal to Peel an Orange in a California Hotel Room? Nevermind the meth labs. The real menace plaguing hotel operators is in-room citrus peelers.

False

Was the City of Paris Fined for Hiring Too Many Women? Their hiring efforts were deemed “far too feminist” according to Anne Hidalgo, the mayor.

True

Can an 18-Year-Old ‘Legally Adopt’ a 17-Year-Old? An interesting legal claim stirred up plenty of debate on TikTok in December 2020.

Mixture

Was a Couple Arrested Based on an 1868 Law Making It Illegal for ‘Midgets’ to Have Sex? A routine review of content labeled satire.

Labeled Satire

Did Alabama Bless ‘Incest’ Marriages Between Brothers and Sisters, Uncles and Nieces? A routine review of content labeled satire.

Labeled Satire

Will THC Be Removed From Drug-Test Screenings Starting on Aug. 30? Are you a medical-marijuana licensee in the state of Oklahoma?

Mostly False

Can Eligible People Get Money From the Equifax Breach Settlement? We know this much: The compensation settlement is the real deal.

True

Is It Illegal to Have More Than Two Dildos in a Home in Arizona? Various states still have a lot of odd laws on the books, but are lawmakers...

False

Did the Supreme Court Rule in 1943 That No One Can Be Forced to Participate in Patriotic Rituals? The Supreme Court's 1943 ruling applied to school board officials and other government entities, not...

Mixture

Do U.S. Citizens Have the Right to Resist ‘Unlawful Arrest’? It's probably best not to get your legal advice from social media.

Mostly False