Some laws are just laws.  Don’t kill people.  Don’t steal cars.  Or police cars.  Don’t deface property.  Don’t not pay your taxes.  But, with the Halloween season fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to find some laws that are specifically related to Halloween.

Some are kind of boring, like in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware it’s against the law to trick or treat after 8:00 PM.  In Dublin, Georgia, it’s against the law to wear dark sunglasses or a hood.  Considering that’s smack in the middle of Klanville, I’d say that’s a good thing, wouldn’t you?  In Walnut, California, you have to obtain a permit to wear a mask on Halloween.  That’s a little weirder.  I wonder if they have to approve the mask…

this is fine

get out of my office

Another one, that I like slightly more, is that it’s illegal to dress like a priest on Halloween in Alabama.  This allowed me to make my own custom graphic, seen here.

I imagine their Community Outreach program will be contacting me for the rights any moment now.

My favorite Halloween related law so far is this one – In Huntsville Alabama, anybody in an animal control officer uniform IS an actual animal control officer.  Think about it.

Do you know any more wacky Halloween laws?  Comment, you ghouls!

Related articles

• Top 6 alternative foods for Halloween (makethelist.net)
• Happy Halloween from Wedding Setups (weddingsetups.com)
• ARA: Halloween activities for tots (timesunion.com)

Related posts:

1. Utah Law – Don’t Go Causing Catastrophes
2. Roadkill Laws – Because Times Is Tough
3. Crossing the Canadian Border: Laws You’d Better Follow

OK.  The law, as a gazillion different places on the internet states, is that “it is illegal to stab yourself to gain someone’s pity.”  As it turns out, this is an inaccurate rewording of the actual law.  It makes it funnier.  Did you laugh?

The real law is Section 13A-14-1 which says, “Maiming one’s self to escape duty or obtain alms” is illegal.  Here’s the full text:  “Every person who, with design to disable himself form performing a legal duty, existing or anticipated, shall inflice upon himself and injury whereby he is so disabled and every person who shall so injure himself with intent to avail himself of such injury to excite sympathy or to obtain alms or some charitable relief shall be guilty of a felony.”

It looks like this law was first written in 1923, which made me wonder about what was happening in Alabama in 1923.  It seems that that year there were a series of Tornadoes in Alabama, as well as a large dam project.  Perhaps people were trying to get out of duty by stabbing themselves?  Maybe someone tried to cash in on tornado relief?

Unfortunately, my one Alabama connection is traveling, but if I get a firm answer on this I will update the post.  If you know know why this law was written (or, for that matter, have a good imagination and want to make up something) please feel free to comment below.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Top 10 Defenestrations (toptenz.net)
• Alabama High School Association to Look Into Bledsoe (nytimes.com)
• Will Alabama Make History? Dems May Nominate Alabama’s First Black Governor (urbanbellemag.com)

Related posts:

1. Halloween-Associated Laws
2. Alabama Denies the Fake ‘Stache – Weird Law
3. Dominoes When Conditions Are Just Right