All is Fair in Love and War: Instances of When Love Gets Entangled with the Law

As many people celebrate the month of love this weekend, we thought it were necessary to highlight some instances in which Valentine’s Day celebrations did not go according to plan. The instances below highlight the fact that Valentine’s Day is not only a day of love and romance but also a day in which many lovers’ quarrels turns into lawsuits and divorces. The surge in divorces which occur over this romantic period has been labelled as the “Valentine Effect”. The “Valentine Effect” increases the amount of people requesting information about divorce by about 40% in the days drawing near to Valentine’s Day. What follows is a simple guide on how to avoid the Valentine Effect and hopefully to not get into trouble with the law this Valentine’s Day.

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1. Always buy your significant other a gift.

Spoiling your significant other on Valentine’s Day is an absolute must according to some police records. One man in Ohio was attacked and threatened by his girlfriend after failing to get her a Valentine’s Day gift. The disgruntled woman was charged with aggravated menacing after she punched, scratched and subsequently threatened to kill her boyfriend with a knife. The terrified boyfriend, in an attempt to preserve his life, locked himself in a bathroom and subsequently called the police for help.

2. Don't celebrate Valentine's Day at work.

Steve Palazzolo, a labour law attorney, states that employees and employers should be careful about wishing each other a Happy Valentine’s Day. Palazzolo suggests that everyone tread carefully this Valentine’s Day as to avoid conflict or violating certain discrimination. One instance of why you should not celebrate Valentine’s Day at work occurred when an auto repairs retailer got demoted after giving his supervisor a stuffed animal, a box of chocolates and a card with a very inappropriate message. The message on the card read, “Let’s spend the night together”. After the specific employee’s improper act of affection, the store decided to demote him for his actions. The employee did not take his subsequent demotion lightly and went on to file a suit claiming that he was the victim of harassment after alleging that his supervisor demanded that he give her a Valentine’s Day gift. The court however did not agree with the employee’s version of events and they decided to rule against the displeased employee, in favour of the employer. In order to stay clear of any demotions based on sexual harassment it is therefore safer to refrain from wishing your co-workers and employers a happy Valentine’s Day.

3. Don't fight with your significant other.

In order to stay clear of any hospitals this weekend and to avoid any domestic battery charges, it is suggested to stay away from any fighting with your significant other this Valentine’s Day. One couple who could not avoid this included an Illinois man and woman who got into a lover’s quarrel on Valentine’s Day. The Illinois woman was charged with aggravated domestic battery after she bit off her boyfriend’s tongue after he tried to kiss her. The partners of 10 months got into an altercation after a romantic Valentine’s Day date took a turn. Things got ugly after the woman tried to tell her boyfriend to leave, but he refused to go and instead tried to give her a kiss. It is unclear why the woman was adamant about her boyfriend leaving but she definitely felt strongly enough about the situation that she needed to bite his tongue off. The man tried to save the severed portion of his tongue by putting it in a bag of ice, however, the hospital could not re-attach it as there was an inadequate blood supply. Based on the above, it is safer to put your differences aside this weekend and to enjoy each other’s company!

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n addition to the above guidelines, there are some weird laws that have previously been applied in the past which are related to love that have gotten many people into trouble. Most of the following laws are outdated and are no longer enforced, however, they might still be in the law books after never being properly abolished. Take a look below for some interesting and weird laws that you can bring up as a conversation starter this Valentine’s Day!

Be polite to your mother-in-law - in Wichita, Kansas, a spouse has grounds for divorce if their significant other mistreats their mother.

Don't gift your Valentine chocolates weighing over 22.5kg - In Idaho, it is illegal to gift your Valentine chocolates which weigh more than 22.5 kg.

This is an important point for all the Prince Charming's out there! Don't kiss a woman who is asleep - In Colorado, it is illegal to kiss a sleeping woman who cannot consent to the action.

Men with facial hair on their top lip cannot kiss women in Eureka - During the 1800s and 1900s, laws in America prohibited men who had facial hair on their top lip from kissing women. The reasoning behind this is rumoured to be religious. This law is still technically in the books in Eureka, but It is doubtful on whether it is still enforced.

We wish you all a happy, safe and lawsuit free Valentine’s Day!