The World According to Nick
My take on Software, Technology, Politics, and anything else I feel like talking about.
Sunday, January 16, 2005

Fornicator! 

Ok... well not any more, at least not in Virginia:

The state Supreme Court yesterday struck down as unconstitutional a 19th-century Virginia law making it a crime for unmarried couples to have sex.
...
The ruling strikes down a law criminalizing fornication as a Class 4 misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $250. The law had been on the books since the early 1800s but has not been enforced against consenting adults since 1847, lawyers said. The court based yesterday's ruling on a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning an anti-sodomy law in Texas.

The opinion did not deal with a separate Virginia law prohibiting sodomy. But attorneys for both parties in the case said it suggested that the court considers most laws regulating sex between consenting adults to be unconstitutional violations of the 14th Amendment's right to due process.
...
The case involved a woman who sued her former boyfriend. Muguet S. Martin of Dinwiddie asked for $5 million in damages from Ziherl when she learned she had contracted herpes after they had had unprotected sex. She alleged that Ziherl knew about his condition but failed to inform Martin.

Circuit Court Judge Theodore J. Markow in Richmond dismissed the lawsuit, concluding that Martin was not entitled to sue for damages that occurred during an illegal act. The state Supreme Court ruling reinstates the lawsuit, which will proceed in Circuit Court.

Well then... always nice when the law catches up with reality. Of course it would be nice if the law was never unrealistic in the first place.

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Name: Nick
Home: Wauwatosa, WI, United States

I'm a Software Consultant in the Milwaukee area. Among various geeky pursuits, I'm also an amateur triathlete, and enjoy rock climbing. I also like to think I'm a political pundit.


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