Delaware's Quirky Legal Code: A Travel Blogger Uncovers the State's Oddest Statutes

Russian travel blogger Alexander, writing for his '#DoWhatYouWant' blog on the Zen platform, recently turned his attention to the small, coastal state of Delaware. What he found was a legal code that reads more like a collection of oddly specific historical anecdotes than modern legislation.

Alexander noted that Delaware presents itself as quiet and unassuming. But a look at its laws reveals a different character. Among the statutes he highlighted: alcohol cannot be sold in the same store as food, requiring separate trips for groceries and wine. Marriages cannot be entered into as a joke or prank. Flying over the state without a valid reason is prohibited, as is whispering in someone's ear during a church service.

The list grows stranger. It's illegal to dress in another person's clothes with intent to deceive, and wearing false mustaches to conceal your identity is specifically outlawed. Alexander questioned the modern interpretation of such rules, wondering aloud about Halloween costumes or simply borrowing a friend's jacket.

His conclusion framed America not as a monolithic country, but as fifty distinct entities, each with its own peculiar legal legacy. 'Every law here seems to carry the memory of some strange incident that once happened,' he wrote, suggesting that these statutes are frozen moments of local history. In a previous post, Alexander characterized the broader U.S. legal culture as one where the fear of litigation subtly guides everyday interactions.