Cheat on your wife, in jail for life!

[mr_pikachu]

Adultery could mean life in prison in Michigan

You read that right. According to a ruling by Michigan's Court of Appeals, extramarital affairs fall under the heading of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, which is a felony punishable by a life sentence.

I dunno, maybe I just haven't embraced the inner jackass that apparently resides in everything male. But I couldn't help but say, "About time!" when I read this. If they change this statute so that there's not a dead law in the books, fine. If they start prosecuting this as it's written and as it's now been interpreted, then that's also good.

You know you have something to say about this one. Spit it out!

[Heald]

'But officer! I tripped and landed on his dick!'

To be honest, it's a skewed religious thing (adultery being such a big crime, not marriage itself) and some people deserve to be cheated on. Of course, those who end up cheating have to pay the penalty:

Man cheats on his wife? He gives her all his money, the car and the house.
Woman cheats on her husband? She gets everything.

Oh yeah, I forgot we're still in that bullshit period where a man can never get divorced without losing all his possessions to the skank.

[Roy Karrde]

This seems less of a Religious thing and more of the Court wanting to control people's lives. With this, and the Spanking law in Cali, and the No Smoking in cars with Kids law. It seems like the Courts want to send us down a spiraling path of making laws infrenging on our private life.

[Magmar]

this country is retarded

[Saffire Persian]

Well, I'm always thoroughly disgusted when I hear that someone's cheated on his/her wife/husband. It fairly disgusts me. If you don't like your husband or wife, at least go with the proper law processes and divorce him or her, instead of being .. I dunno? stupid and go and cheat on him or her.

Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone's circumstances are different in regards to when this happens. Life in prison is a bit harsh, as I think many people could do well with a second chance, but prison time for cheating on your wife wouldn't be too horrible. Of course, it should work vice/versa as well--with the wife, I mean.

[Roy Karrde]

How could anyone advocate Prison time for this? You are not breaking any law, just a vow you made to your wife. This is for the lawyers in Civil Court not Criminal Court. I can understand how some people will want others to pay for cheating on their spouce. But leave it to Civil Court.

[Arnen]

This seems less of a Religious thing and more of the Court wanting to control people's lives. With this, and the Spanking law in Cali, and the No Smoking in cars with Kids law. It seems like the Courts want to send us down a spiraling path of making laws infrenging on our private life.

Not to mention the gay marriage ban...

I just hope that this law applies to when women cheat on their husbands, as well as men cheating on their wives (since women are probably likely to get let off more easily). It does seem a little extreme, though. Yes, it would greatly discourage people from committing adultery, but being stuck in jail your whole life just for being horny at the wrong time? Seems a little extreme, at least for the first offense...

[DarkTemplarZero]

You have got to be kidding me. Damn Evangelical judges, pretty soon using birth control will be illegal and you'll have to purify yourself with pain each time you get a blow job. No smoking with kids in cars I can understand, you don't want to give your kids cancer (either that or you're one shitty parent), but putting somebody in jail for life for something like that is pitiful.

[mr_pikachu]

How could anyone advocate Prison time for this? You are not breaking any law, just a vow you made to your wife. This is for the lawyers in Civil Court not Criminal Court. I can understand how some people will want others to pay for cheating on their spouce. But leave it to Civil Court.

Actually, it is against the law. It's just that the law has been ignored for the last 36 years.

[Kris]

You really have some stupid laws out there.....

I think its OTT, yeah of course I think cheating is terrible but I dont think its worth a life sentance!

[DarkTemplarZero]

Well there's a law in London that you can only shoot a Welsh person with a longbow before noon or something to that effect according to dumblaws.com, I think that's being ignored, and with equally good reason.

[Drago]

Maybe I'm just thinking too much into this, but surely such a steep consequence will also result in more drastic measures to cover up? Someone found out you done wrong to your spouse? Let's off 'em! I reckon it's bound to happen at least now and then, in a panic at the prospect of life imprisonment, people resort to worse not to get caught.
Anyway, this is stupid and will result in more marriages being anulled, leaving staticians to ponder why we're unhappy. Cripes, human beings certainly like hammering nails in their foot, don't they take a moment and say to themselves, 'hang on, that's quite stupid...'

[PNT510]

Actually, it is against the law. It's just that the law has been ignored for the last 36 years.

Just because it's law doesn't mean it should be illegeal. There are tons of retarded laws out there.

[mr_pikachu]

I'm not disagreeing with it being a bit extreme (although I'm certainly not worried about ever being prosecuted for it myself). On the other hand, I am glad that part of the judicial branch is actually doing its job. They're leaving it to the legislature to correct the mistake, as well they should. All that judges are supposed to do is interpret the law, not decide whether it is good or bad. If anything, this should prompt the legislative branch to do their jobs rather than leaving it to the ill-equipped judicial branch to do everything.

Also, while I think that it is a rather extreme consequence, I'm not sure that I agree with your logic, D-Knight. It doesn't seem like we can just throw out a law because its punishment would make someone desperate to cover it up. Isn't that the case with any law? Does anyone really want to pay the price for any crime? Whether the sentence would prompt a cover-up is beside the point; what matters is how appropriate the punishment is for the crime.

[Drago]

Meh, that consequence matter isn't really a point of logic anyway, just a possible ramification. There's no way they're gonna pull this law like that, lest they have egg on their faces. Besides, I really do feel that the prison sentence is disproportionate to the crime. I'm none too clear on the situation in Michigan, though I do know that there are far too many people rotting in prison worldwide to just be throwing people in there for a reason like this. Again, a moot point, as this applies only to Michigan. I truly like the word moot.

[Mewtwo-D2]

Now if only they would change to word from 'Adultery' to 'Rape', and I would be 100% behind this law. Of course, knowingly false rape charges would carry the same sentence.

And DTZ, I know it's a hard request, but could you try not being an inflammatory, reactionary nitwit in just one topic?

[RedStarWarrior]

Women cheat too...

Either way, I agree with the principle behind this law, just not with the severity of the punishment.

[Green_Pikachu]

I haven't read many responses, so I don't know how other people feel. All I read was the OP's opinion, and I completely disagree.

This is absolutely ridiculous. I don't really know what to say, I'm kinda speechless. I just disagree with Michigan 100% on this I guess.

Cheating on your spouse is wrong, but punishable by law? first-degree criminal sexual conduct? give me a break.