We live in a large, fantastical world that can, at times, seem a little bit weird. What might be a perfectly acceptable notion to one country might seem outrageous or borderline ludicrous to another.
Case in point, there are numerous outdated laws seemingly without any legislative intent at all still on the books, even in countries that have progressed and evolved over the centuries. Here are a few of the most zany ones that our legislative history research was able to dig up.
Pick the Right Suit When Going to Parliament.
If you were going to the Houses of Parliament in England, you’d probably try to look your best and wear a suit. Just make sure that it’s the kind with a tie, and not the kind with a sword, because there’s a legal statute still on England’s books that expressly forbids anyone from wearing a suit of armor in Parliament.
Is Your Monkey’s Passport Up to Date?
In the European Union, there’s a legal statute that requires circus animals to have their own passports if they’re going to travel between member states. However, mice are allowed to travel under one collective passport, which means each mouse doesn’t have to have its own individual passport. The legal statute also requires for a veterinarian from the animals’ state of departure to verify that their passports are all up to date.
Brazil Just Wants to Believe.
Brazil’s law books are chock full of weird legal statutes, including ones that define what a ham is, and prohibit watermelons, but there’s one, forward-thinking legal statute in particular that absolutely takes the cake as the strangest. In the state of Mato Grosso, there’s a municipal law that sets land aside for an extraterrestrial airport.
And to think, these are only a few of the weird legal statutes still on the books today. If your own legislative research was able to find any other weird laws, feel free to share in the comments.