Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
Have you ever wondered, “is there a law for EVERYTHING in the state of Michigan?” Well if you truly knew how many laws there were, then you would most likely as that question. In actuality, there is a law for almost everything in the state of Michigan. According to a 2014 study that studied a problem known as “overcriminalization,” the state of Michigan was found to have more than 918 section in its criminal code. As a comparison, the state of Illinois which has nearly 3 million more residents than Michigan, has approximately 333 less sections within its criminal code than Michigan does. Legal experts have stated that Michigan’s penal code is too big and too complex and needs to be reformed. There are over 3,100 criminal laws in the state of Michigan. This number is eight times larger than the Model Penal Code which was published in an effort to try to update and standardize many laws across the country.
Recent Updates In The Law
The state of Michigan has recognized that there is a problem with too many laws that are either outdated, not enforced, or just plain silly. There has been a significant effort towards reigning in the problem of overcriminalization in the state of Michigan. From 2008-2013 the state legislature created approximately 45 new laws every year. 44% of these new laws were felonies. 2014-2017 saw a change where only approximately seven new criminal laws were created each year. The entire time period only saw an increase of 26 new criminal laws. 53% of these new criminal laws were felonies.
The Archaic Laws Package
Michigan also repealed 16 statutes from 2014-2017. Some of these laws included a ban on “singing the national anthem as part of a medley,” not being allowed to use vulgar language in front of a woman or child, not being allowed to leave a vehicle running unattended in your driveway. So basically, if you have ever warmed up your car in your driveway before the repeal, you committed a crime. This was probably a daily crime for most of us here in the wintertime.
Crazy Laws That Still Exist
Below you will find a list of criminal offenses that are still active on the Michigan law books. Seriously, these are actual laws:
• It is illegal to have sex in a parked car unless it is in your own driveway.
• You are not allowed to kill a dog with a decompression chamber.
• On Sundays, a man is not allowed to scowl at his wife in the city of Detroit.
• You may not sell your car on a Sunday.
• It is a five-year prison sentence if a male seduces or corrupts a single female.
• It is illegal in Kalamazoo to serenade your girlfriend.
• All bathing suits must be inspected by the head of police in Rochester.
• It is illegal to paint sparrows and sell them as parakeets.
• You can’t get drunk on a train.
• Women aren’t allowed to cut their hair without prior permission from their husband.
Pretty ridiculous right? These rules STILL exist today! Now, the police aren’t exactly out there arresting people for serenading their girlfriend in Kalamazoo or inspecting bathing suits in Rochester. But it goes to show you how many laws there really are in the state of Michigan.
Any Further Questions?
The definitions and explanations for pretty much all of the other criminal laws in the state of Michigan can be found here at our website for Grabel & Associates. We have designed our site to be a resource for general information. This information is not intended to be taken as legal advice; however, our attorneys are always available to take your call. We are a criminal defense firm that works tirelessly for our clients. Our attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience in successfully defending cases all over the state of Michigan. A call and initial consultation to our office is always FREE. You can call us anytime on our 24/7 defense line at 1-800-342-7896, you can also contact us online, or come visit us at one of our three statewide offices. We can also come to you.