Have you ever heard someone argue that everyone has broken the law? What they’re likely referring to is the fact that there are so many laws in the United States that everyone is bound to break them at some time — whether they intend to or not.
There are those who argue that this extravagance of laws is detrimental to society. It is very possible to break a law without realizing it.
How many laws are there?
Since states set their own laws, the number differs widely from one state to the next. However, even a quick glance at the more than 3,000 federal laws shows you what you’re dealing with. Some have argued that there are so many state laws that it’s difficult to count.
But even with just the federal laws, do you really know all of them? Even if you studied 10 laws every day, in their entirety, it would take you roughly a year to go through all of the material. By the time that you did, there would likely be new laws on the books, so you’d have to go back and start over. It’s nearly impossible for the average person to keep up.
Those who support legal reforms do so for a few reasons, but one is just that they claim the individuals who go to jail or to prison are no different than those who remain free. They’ve all broken the law. The only possible difference is who got caught by the authorities in the process. Is that really a fair way to run the justice system?
What are your rights when you’re accused of breaking the law?
With the number of laws not likely to drop any time soon, it’s more important than ever to know what rights you have if you’re facing charges. One of the most important things to remember is that you are well-advised to exercise your right to remain silent at all time when dealing with the authorities simply because you probably do not know enough about the law to avoid incriminating yourself — especially if you don’t realize you may have broken the law. Talk to our Lakewood defense attorney before you talk to the police.