How would I get proof of a law?

[ZipTieNinja]

I know that Balisongs are legall in Virginia, but some cops do not. So what would I have to do to get some sort of proof to carry with me. Could I get a copy of the law from the county court house and then have it noterized (SP?), or somthing along those lines?

I got caught will one in plain view, in my dashboard, and the cop said that it was illegal because it was a concealed weapon due to the fact that "you could not see the blade when it is closed". I convinced him otherwise, but what about next time?!

 

[shootist16]

Originally posted by ZipTieNinja

"...it was illegal because it was a concealed weapon due to the fact that "you could not see the blade when it is closed".

That is very scary!

You should be able to get a copy from your local courthouse, the public library may have a copy.

 

[HJK]

Proof in Court is one thing. Convincing a policeman is another.
What you want is an official looking book. It can be small, but it should be current. If the law is in a statute, one of the law publishers probably has a small printed consolidation you can buy to show to the leo. Your problem is an interpretation. That would be addressed in a case or an annotation/commentary. That would require that you have a copy of the case [buy that specific Law Report] or photocopy it, or better yet, get an annotated copy of the law or a recognized textbook.
In Canada, the laws are found in the Criminal Code and regulations. There are a few annotated Criminal Codes that are very well respected. Martin's, edited by Eddie Greenspan and Marc Rosenbarg, has good coverage of Canadian knife laws and is very well respected. Rather than get a copy of the statutory materials from the library or the Queen's Printer, the best thing is to get a Martin's or a Pocket Criminal Code from the publisher [Canada Law Book for Martin's, Carswell/Thompson,or Butterworths are the other main ones]. Most LEO's recognize them as authoritative.
But if you have to argue law with an LEO, you are already have a problem that logic and debate may not solve easily.

 

[cerulean]

You could also try to get a letter from the Attorney General in your state, or your District Attorney, that explicitly states that balisongs are legal. It would be pretty convincing evidence, but it might take some effort on your part to acquire it.

 

[ZipTieNinja]

Thanks for the feedback folks. I will try and get in touch with the the DA and find a copy of the code of Virginia as well.