Silly MI laws that are still on the books
• State laws
Illegal to sell a motor vehicle on Sunday (MCL 435.251)
Drunkenness on any train is prohibited (MCL 436.201)
The last Sunday in June is “Michigan log cabin day” (MCL 435.241)
Adultery is illegal, but the person can only be punished if a complaint is filed by the spouse (MCL 750.30 - 1931)
It is illegal to kill a dog using a decompression chamber (MCL 287.279a)
• City laws
Grand Haven: “No person shall throw an abandoned hoop skirt into any street or on any sidewalk, under a penalty of a $5 fine for each offense” see http://www.grandhaventribune.com/News/2014/02/10/Making-sense-of-GH-s-hoop-skirt-law
Detroit: Not allowed to “willfully destroy” a radio (enacted when radio was only means of communication); husbands may not scowl at their wives on Sunday
Outdated MI laws that have been repealed in recent years
• Repealed in 2002 – Person cannot swear/use vulgar language in front of women & children (MCL 750.337)
This law got a lot of media attention when, in 1999, a man was convicted for swearing in front of women & kids after falling out of a canoe up north – he was dubbed “the cussing canoeist” see https://www.aclu.org/news/cussing-canoeist-conviction-reversed-michigan?redirect=cpredirect/10917
• Repealed in 2015: misdemeanor to promote, conduct or participate in “endurance contests” – a/k/a “walkathons”
• Repealed in 2015: crime (trespassing) to trample or otherwise injure cranberry vines or huckleberry or blackberry bushes w/out permission of owner or occupant
• Repealed in 2015: various crimes related to “dueling”
• Repealed in 2015: cannot dance or march to the “Star Spangled Banner”
Laws are technically valid, but they’re not enforced
• Law enforcement really doesn’t enforce outdated laws – just doesn’t make sense
• In 2015, Michigan House began effort to eliminate old laws, especially criminal ones
• In December 2015, Gov. Snyder signed bills eliminating numerous outdated laws (many mentioned above) see http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-57577_57657-371478--,00.html
