But they didn't read me my rights!: myths, oddities, and lies about our legal system

Introduction

Disclaimer—Read This First!

Acknowledgments

That's a Crime?

1. Is it against the law to look at someone the wrong way?

2. Can you be convicted of drunk driving if you're not driving the car?

3. Can a professional fighter be charged with battery for winning a fight?

4. Is marijuana legal?

5. Can you be convicted of bail jumping if you never leave the state?

6. Can you be convicted of a crime for yelling in your own home?

7. Can you be convicted of “carrying a concealed weapon” if your gun is not concealed?

Sex Crimes

8. Can you be convicted of “statutory rape” if the minor lied about his or her age?

9. Is oral sex illegal?

10. Is it a crime to cheat on your spouse?

11. Is prostitution legal in Las Vegas?

Problems With the Police

12. Do the police have to read you your rights when they arrest you?

13. Can the police search your car if you have an air freshener hanging on the mirror?

14. Can the police tell when you are lying?

15. Can the police lie to you when they interrogate you?

16. Can the police search your home without a warrant?

17. Can you make a citizen's arrest?

Criminial Process and Procedure

18. Since I'm innocent until proven guilty, will I still have to sit in jail before trial?

19. Can a child be convicted of a crime?

20. If you accuse someone of a crime, can you later “drop the charges”?

21. If you punch someone in a fight, are your hands considered dangerous weapons?

Your Day in Criminal Court

22. Can hearsay be used against you in court?

23. Does a speedy trial mean you'll get your trial within six months?

24. Can you be convicted of a crime for a mistake or an accident?

25. Can you be convicted of multiple crimes for a single act?

26. Can you be convicted of a crime without any evidence?

27. If a jury convicts you of a crime, can you appeal the verdict?

28. Can you beat your case by claiming you're insane?

29. If you're charged with a crime, can you represent yourself in court?

First Kill All the Lawyers

30. Are public defenders “real lawyers”?

31. If you can't afford a lawyer, will the court appoint one for you?

Contract Law: A Deal is a Deal

32. Do contracts have to be in writing to be enforceable?

33. Will a contract be enforceable because it is in writing?

34. Can promises be enforced, even if they're not enforceable as contracts?

35. Can a minor (under eighteen years old) enter into a contract?

36. Are disclaimers, or no-liability clauses, enforceable?

37. Are there legal ways to get out of an otherwise enforceable contract?

Family Law: Love and Marriage

38. If you break up with your fiancé, can you keep the ring?

39. In a divorce, does the mother have an advantage over the father for child custody?

40. In a divorce, can a “pre-nup” protect your assets from your ex-spouse?

41. Can the government order you to pay support for someone else's child?

Taxes: Cuz I'm the Taxman

42. If you find lost or abandoned property, do you have to pay taxes on it?

43. If you barter for goods or services, do you have to pay taxes?

Real Property Law: I Know What's Mine

44. Is it possible to lose your property through “adverse possession”?

45. Is it possible to use your neighbor's property without trespassing?

Torts: Sue Happy

46. Can you sue a restaurant if your coffee is too hot?

47. Can a burglar sue me if he gets injured on my property?

48. Can I be sued for helping someone during an emergency?

49. People are spreading rumors about me—can I sue them for slander?

Legal Education: So You Want to Be a Lawyer?

50. Do you have to go to law school to be a lawyer?

51. Do you have to pass the bar exam to be a lawyer?

52. Do all lawyers go to trial?

53. Is becoming a lawyer the road to riches?

Afterword

Endnotes

Index

About the Authors