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1500 questions
15
votes
1 answer
Can you legally defend yourself against an attacking police officer?
If a police officer physically attacks you, with or without intent to arrest, can you legally defend yourself? Assume that the police officer punches/kicks/grabs first, and you are not guilty of any crime before the attack. To what extend can you do…
TheEnvironmentalist
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15
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4 answers
Would "Stop a Douchebag" be legal in the US? Why is it legal in Russia?
In Russia, there is a movement called Stop a Douchebag, whose prime activities are as follows.
Prevent people from driving on sidewalks.
Prevent double parking.
The participants in this movement seem to adhere to very respectful speech. However, I…
Arrow
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2 answers
My company handed me a letter today telling me I owe them money because they overpaid me. Do I legally have to pay them?
I work an hourly job. I got a letter today telling me that they overpaid me and I owe them money. My job pays minimum wage and I'm not sure how they "overpaid" me, their computers pay me per second that I work. I can view the hours I've worked in…
Jon
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2 answers
Police encounter: "Why do you think I stopped you?" Is there any legal downside in answering "I don't know"?
Many police encounters in the United States start with the police officer asking "Why do you think I stopped you?"
Is there any legal downside in answering "I don't know"?
If state-specific, I am mostly interested in the case where I am located in…
Franck Dernoncourt
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15
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3 answers
What actually are the consequences of being "stripped of citizenship"?
In this other question, Russians were being threatened with loss of citizenship for failing to sign a contract to serve in the military.
But I assume a non-citizen wouldn't be eligible for military service in the first place, and that the government…
Joe Breuer
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1 answer
Are US states obligated to extradite criminals to other states?
Bob is born and raised Californian. He goes over to Texas, and commits a bunch of Texan crimes (which aren't illegal whatsoever in California). Before the police are onto him, Bob goes back to California. Later on, Texas has a mountain of evidence…
chausies
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15
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3 answers
Do constitutions of civil law countries ban bills of attainder, and if yes, how?
In civil law countries, such as continental European countries, does constitutional law usually prevent the country parliament from passing a law that declares a person guilty of a crime and inflicts punishment on the person, which would be called a…
Petr Hudeček
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15
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4 answers
When did Lee Harvey Oswald first break the law?
At what point during the lead-up to the assassination of JFK did Lee Harvey Oswald first break the law (and could therefore legally be stopped)?
As far as I can tell, he purchased his rifle legally, he was allowed to possess that weapon (under the…
ConanTheGerbil
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15
votes
10 answers
Why are lawyers not called "doctor"?
I don't quite understand the education process for lawyers, but I do understand there are a number of different degrees, and one of them is 'JD', the juris doctor. My Latin is quite rusty, but I believe that is "Doctor of Law."
So why are they not…
user608
15
votes
5 answers
Are you legally obliged to provide police with alibis?
It may be hard to develop an example where not providing police with an alibi is in your own best interests. Assume for arguments sake that this is the case.
Is it legal to withhold an alibi when you have one?
Does your right to not…
Neil Meyer
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15
votes
3 answers
How can a court pause a law?
It often happens in the United States that a federal court decides to pause a law before it can go into effect. Of course, courts can do this, but how does this actually work? What "thing" does the court do to pause a law?
idk
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2 answers
Can a search of a person's belongings in jail actually be illegal?
Can a search of a person's belongings in jail actually be illegal? Or is this only the case of privileged individuals?
This question stems from the recent findings in the case of artist P. Diddy. An article at msn.com writes about this as…
user1250
15
votes
6 answers
Do criminals have the right to defend themselves from vigilantes?
Consider this scenario...
An unarmed thief snatches a bag from a victim in a public park. The thief flees, pursued by members of the public. The thief trips, falls over and sprains his ankle, he's now more or less defenseless. A crowd surround him…
ConanTheGerbil
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15
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3 answers
Does the duty to rescue in German Law (StGB §323c) only apply for accidents, or also for deliberate acts?
Under German law, there is a "duty to rescue" according to StGB 323c (emphasis mine):
(1) Whoever does not render assistance in the case of an accident or a
common danger or emergency
[...]
incurs a penalty of imprisonment for a term not
exceeding…
sleske
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15
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4 answers
Is it legal (US) to target drunk people and interview them to create (commercial) content a.k.a. street interviews?
In some forms of street interviews, people seem to specifically target intoxicated pedestrians, some seemingly exclusively young women, put camera and microphone in their face and try to get them answer very intimate question about their sexual…
srn
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