11 Long-Armed Facts about the Law

First published 15th April 2020 Robin James

Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

In a world that would otherwise be in constant chaos, the justice system aims to bring order and stability. Here are 11 interesting facts about the law.

Anyone above the age of 10 or above can be charged with a crime in England and Wales. Age of criminal responsibility in the UK is lower than any other European country.
It is an offense to perform a sexual act in a public toilet. This can be committed even if you’re alone and no one needs to be offended by it, as the fact that you’ve done it is enough for the law.
In 2017, prison officers confiscated more than 500lbs of drugs. Half of the prisoners, after being surveyed, said it was easy to get drugs into the prison.

Back in 1869, Arabella Mansfield was the first woman in U.S. history to become a lawyer.
Due to the Church’s litigious nature, HBO has to hire a team of 160 lawyers before releasing its film “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief”.
The van that hit Stephen King back in June 1999 and nearly ended the authors life, was bought by his lawyers to prevent anyone from profiting from it.

Women make up 70% of all lawyers in Algeria, and 60% of all judges.
The “Sexual Offenses Register” does not exist. According to The Sexual Offenses Act 2003, certain offenders are required to notify their local police service of their personal details (involves their address and credit card details). This must be done 3 days after conviction and every year thereafter for the rest of the offenders life. If this is not done, they can be imprisoned for up to 5 years.
It’s an offense for an individual to offer prostitution services on two or more occasions over a period of three months in England and Wales.

Due to cuts in legal aid, one in four family cases in court have no lawyers. Therefore, parties are made to be cross-examined in court by their ex-partners regularly.
It’s a common misconception that when parents separate, the law prefers the child to live with the mother rather than the father. This cannot be further from the truth. The law says that the court must do its utmost to do what is in the best interests of the child.