When people think about laws, they often think about sensible rules that make sense. However, it is important to remember that laws are made by people, and this means that some real nonsense can be made into actual laws that govern the people. This is true of every country, state, and city. California is no exception.

The Golden State is home to its own bits of weirdness thanks to some odd laws. Many of these laws were created long ago, and as such, show their age. Others are a little more recent, and while it may be possible to see what the lawmaker was going for, the wording of the law isn’t quite right.

Why Are These Even Laws?

California became a state on September 9, 1850...

For years now, schools have and other government agencies have been working hard to send the message to kids that drugs are bad. Drugs can mess with a person’s body and mind in all sorts of harmful or damaging ways. The worst drugs are either flat out illegal or limited to only be used when a person has a prescription.

Drugs that are restricted by the government are referred to as controlled substances. These substances can be restricted for any number of reasons. If a person is found to have one of these substances on them without a prescription, then they could end up in trouble.

Possession of Controlled Substances in California

Here in the state of California, Health and Safety Code (HS) 11350 makes it illegal for a person to have a controlled substance in their possession without a ...

M
ost people work their butts off to make the money that they do. They need it to pay for groceries, gas, bills, and anything else they might want to purchase. Money is a precious commodity that everyone is always trying to get more of. Some people get more money by working harder. Others get it by taking advantage of people.

Things can be particularly bad when it is an employer that is taking advantage of its employees. This can lead to employees getting paid less than what they are owed for the work they did. To prevent this from happening, the state of California has several different labor laws meant to protect employees from dishonest employers.

Bad Employers Do Exist

Some of the basics that California’s labor laws cover include minimum wage, overtime, and requiring employees to w...

Pretty much every driver has experienced the slight panic of seeing a police car behind them while driving even if they haven’t done anything wrong. That shows how much people don’t want to get pulled over. On those occasions where people are pulled over, they can then find themselves worrying about the officer searching through their vehicle.

Despite what people might think, police officers and other law enforcement officers cannot just search a vehicle without reason or a warrant. This is a protection granted to every United States citizen under the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. The Fourth Amendment prohibits law enforcement agents from conducting unreasonable searches and seizures. The amendment also sets forth guidelines for how warrants are issued.

When Is a Warrant Unn...

For the most part, dog owners are good at taking care of their animals. They love their pup and treat it like a member of the family. However, not everyone is very good at taking care of their dog, which can cause some trouble. If a dog gets out and bites someone, the dog’s owner could get into legal trouble.

California is a strict liability state. This means that if a dog bites someone, whether or not they have a history of biting, the owner is liable for the incident. If a dog owner doesn’t want to be held responsible for a dog bite, they need to take the proper precautions to keep their dog under control.

When Dogs Bite People

California Civil Code (CC) 3342 makes it so that dog owners are liable for the injuries their dog caused, as long as the person didn’t provoke the dog and t...

Back in 2016, Californians voted to allow the recreational use of marijuana. This created a whole new mess of laws that dictated how people could use marijuana. The laws rolled out bit by bit over the next few years. While this made things easier for lawmakers and gave them the time they needed to create these laws, this did cause some confusion.

When it comes to marijuana, a lot of people are still confused about what is and isn’t allowed in California. For instance, what are the rules regarding foods and drinks infused with cannabis? Are those allowed in California, and if so, how much can a person carry on them before getting into trouble?

What Are Edibles?

Some people prefer edibles, or foods infused with cannabis, over smoking marijuana...

When it comes to filling out and signing official paperwork, people are required by law to provide honest and accurate information. Official documents are meant to have accurate information, and when a person knowingly lies on these documents, they can end up in trouble with the law for forgery.

Most people hear the word forgery think of signing someone else’s name, however, there is more to the crime than just that. The acts of signing someone else’s name on a document, modifying one without permission, or providing false information all fall under the crime of forgery.

The Act of Forgery in California

Forgery is made illegal here in California under Penal Code (PC) 470 and is defined as the intentional act of trying to deceive or lie to a person to deprive that person of money or...

Despite the obvious health concerns that come with smoking, there are still a lot of smokers out there in the world. An estimated 42.1 million people in the United States are smokers. This averages out to roughly 18% of all adults over the age of 18. That is a whole lot of people who still smoke.

The state of California is considered one of the leaders in anti-smoking laws and regulations. If a person violates any of these laws, then they could face fines. This makes it very important for smokers to be aware of all of these laws. A smoker needs to be very careful about where they decide to light up, or they could find themselves in trouble.

You Can’t Smoke Everywhere

Under California law, it is illegal for any person to smoke any tobacco products in an enclosed workplace...

California residents, especially those living in Southern California, are pretty used to seeing car chases on television. They happen all of the time out here, and they can be kind of entertaining. The question of how will the chase end can keep everyone glued to their screens. Will the driver give up quietly, or will the chase end in crash?

As exciting as watching a police chase may be, being in one is never a good idea. A person running from their problems never helps them solve those issues. This is definitely true for car chases. The person went from getting pulled over by one officer to being chased by an entire fleet of vehicles. On top of that, they are adding a whole lot of charges to their rap sheet for running away. Running just makes everything worse.

Running from the Police ...

October is here and that means Halloween is only a few weeks away. For kids, this means getting ready for a massive candy score after trick-or-treating. Adults are often more concerned with what parties they will be attending that night. These can be a lot of fun, provided the person is responsible with their actions.

It’s no secret that there will be alcohol at these parties, and most adults will enjoy themselves. This alone isn’t a problem. The real problem arises when people who have been drinking decide that they are going to drive. Drunk driving is always a bad idea. It can get a person into a lot of trouble, and yet people break this law all of the time.

 DUI Is Illegal in California

It is illegal to get behind the wheel of vehicle while intoxicated, or high, in the state o...