LawCommentary
Rand Paul Joins Forfeiture Reform Movement
On Thursday, forfeiture-reform advocates gained a new ally when Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced his “Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act” or “FAIR Act,” which takes… Read More
LawCommentary
Single Mother Arrested for Carrying Gun to Protect Her Children
A mistake could separate a single mother from her children and send her to prison for three years. Her crime? Unlawfully possessing a gun in… Read More
LawNews
Fargo Limits How Much Juice Day-Care Kids Can Drink
FARGO, N.D. — Fargo is cracking down on juice consumption in day cares facilities. Children attending day care in the city may drink no more… Read More
LawCommentary
Young Boy Takes On City Council…and Wins.
Call it a victory for common sense. City officials in Leawood, Kan., have reversed course after ordering a 9-year-old boy to tear down the little… Read More
LawCommentary
Son Skips Church, Father Arrested for Child Endangerment
What started out as a normal Sunday morning for Jeffrey Williamson of Blanchester, Ohio, turned into a nightmare when police officers showed up to his… Read More
LawCommentary
Florida Veteran Fights Foreclosure Over American Flag
Each year, the Fourth of July means millions of flags, hung from houses and adorning the tops of flag poles, will be fluttering in the… Read More
LawNews
New York Lawmakers Make It Illegal to Touch a Tiger
The New York State Legislature doesn’t want you touching tigers. State Rep. Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat who sponsored a bill that passed this week,… Read More
LawCommentary
Banned Books: City Shuts Down 9-Year-Old Boy’s Little Library
Check the regulations: You may be in violation of a city ordinance if you decide to share your books with friends and neighbors. For 9… Read More
LawCommentary
The Surprising Ingredient for Bipartisan Reform: Hit Show ‘Orange Is the New Black’
For most Americans, the Netflix show “Orange is the New Black” is the closest they will ever come to experiencing the criminal justice system. Americans… Read More
LawAnalysis
Pinterest Users, Beware: Giving Cooking Advice Could Be a Crime
You’d better think twice before you recommend that fellow Pinterest users substitute fat-free evaporated milk for heavy cream. You just might end up on the… Read More
LawAnalysis
A Jail Sentence for Selling Hot Dogs?
It should be obvious that throwing people in jail for selling hot dogs is profoundly un-American. But in the state of North Carolina, it could… Read More
Throw a Cigarette Butt on the Ground and You Could Face Three Years in Jail
Forget merely annoying others with bad manners: In Illinois, citizens who throw their finished cigarette on the ground are facing jail time – up to… Read More
5 Posts That Inspired You This Year
2013 was a great year for The Foundry. Here are the top five posts that inspired you the most. 13 Tax Increases in 2013 New… Read More
Much Ado About Blubber: Marine Biologist Faces Fines, Probation for Research
Nancy Black has dedicated her career to the research and conservation of wildlife. Now, she will have a criminal record and potentially faces a $100,000… Read More
Felony Shrub-Trimming: San Diego Man Criminally Charged for Pruning Plants
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office filed felony vandalism charges against 46-year-old Ocean Beach, California, resident Juvencio Adame for “defacement, damage and destruction” of… Read More
“Help Make It Stop”: Victims Testify About How Overcriminalization Ruins Lives
This story has been removed based on new information that came to The Foundry’s attention.
The Motor City Wants Your Car Back: Civil Forfeiture in Detroit
To most Americans, attending a party at a downtown art institute is a fun, cultural experience. But for the 130 people attending “Funk Night” at… Read More
Fishing as a Felony: Teen Faces Prison Time for Leaving Fishing Equipment in High School Parking Lot
The “zero tolerance” idiot parade marches on, leaving innocent people in its wake. This time, it’s a teenage fisherman, and he’s facing felony charges. We’ve… Read More
“Bang, Bang,” You’re Suspended: Second-Grader Sent Home for Carrying Invisible Gun
Just when you thought gun-fearing “educators” couldn’t get any sillier. Last week, it was a couple of teenagers suspended for a year for playing with… Read More
LawNews
Don’t Film Me, Bro!: Officer Confiscates Cell Phone, Prevents Wife from Videotaping Her Husband’s Arrest
It was her cell phone. She was on her property. And they were handcuffing her husband on the ground. Yet when Heather Donald used her… Read More
“Zero Tolerance” Zombies: Seventh Graders Suspended for Playing with Toy Gun
It didn’t look like a real gun. It shot plastic pellets. It was labeled “Zombie Killer.” It didn’t hurt anyone. And it was being used… Read More
Hard Time for Chalk Crime
It may or may not be true that, as some seem to believe, not a single cop in the history of the Las Vegas Metropolitan… Read More
Is a Gun Loaded If the Bullets Are Beside It?
For proof that prosecutors will apply laws in ways that are at odds with societal expectations, look no further than the case of Oriol Dor…. Read More
Zero Dark Giggles: Baby Deer Gets the SWAT Team Treatment
An otherwise quiet day in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was interrupted by the shrill sound of police sirens. Thirteen armed law enforcement personnel surrounded a barn on… Read More
Missed Paying One Ticket? Go Directly to Jail
She was handcuffed and hauled to the police station. She was fingerprinted and photographed. She was interrogated. She was strip-searched, given a jumpsuit, and locked… Read More
Flashing Headlights as a Felony: Why Helping Reduce Crime Shouldn’t Be Criminal
Most people have probably done it. Some, if pressed, might concede that it isn’t the right thing to do. But most people probably wouldn’t think… Read More
Why Florida Police Shouldn’t Have Arrested a Gator for Barking at a Dog
Most people would agree that deliberately interfering with ongoing police investigations should be illegal. In that light, the news that University of Florida linebacker Antonio… Read More
Arrested for a Life Vest: When Good Intentions Make Bad Law
Erika Doring has devoted her life and career to children. She was a counselor with child protective services for 10 years and now owns Cutie… Read More
Writing with Sidewalk Chalk Can Earn You Hard Time?
Jeff Olson has no criminal record, has hurt no one, and has done no significant damage to anyone’s property. And he nearly ended up in… Read More
Diverted from the Straight and Narrow Path for Diverting Sewage
After decades of striving to obey the law and teaching his children to do the same, Lawrence Lewis turned to crime. His offense? Diverting sewage… Read More
