Is there a lawyer in the house? What laws apply when it comes to SC's?

[allniter]

What is the law when it comes to bad customers? I know a store can tell them to leave or they'll be arrested for trespassing. But can you call the cops on them over harrassment and get them arrested for causing a public disturbance? Or can you arrest them for anything else if they're being abusive in other non-violent forms? Does the law vary depending on county or by state? Is there a federal Law?

Any comprehensive info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[JustADude]

Out of curiosity, what kind of laws about that are on the books in Missouri?

This might be a bad thing, but there was a non-work-related incident a little while ago where fear of assault charges are the only thing that kept me from breaking someone's face. If I'd known him getting in my face, throwing all sorts of religious, aesthetic, and homophobic insults, and DARING me to hit them would be taken by law as just cause, I'd have been picking teeth out of my knuckles.

[Ms. Pounce]

"The only correct answer to a legal question is 'it depends....' "

On the state, the situation, the police, the timing, the lawyers, who you know and how much $$ you can spend on a lawyer.

[starla671]

If there is a lawyer here, please see my thread!

[AirHostess]

In the air we are covered by Air Navigation Orders.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20051970.htm

These include:

Endangering safety of any person or property
74. A person shall not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property

Drunkenness in aircraft
75. —(1) A person shall not enter any aircraft when drunk, or be drunk in any aircraft.

(2) A person shall not, when acting as a member of the crew of any aircraft or being carried in any aircraft for the purpose of so acting, be under the influence of drink or a drug to such an extent as to impair his capacity so to act.

Authority of commander of an aircraft
77. Every person in an aircraft shall obey all lawful commands which the commander of that aircraft may give for the purpose of securing the safety of the aircraft and of persons or property carried therein, or the safety, efficiency or regularity of air navigation.

Acting in a disruptive manner
78. No person shall while in an aircraft—

(a) use any threatening, abusive or insulting words towards a member of the crew of the aircraft;

(b) behave in a threatening, abusive, insulting or disorderly manner towards a member of the crew of the aircraft; or

(c) intentionally interfere with the performance by a member of the crew of the aircraft of his duties.

[Boozy]

If you have more specific questions and can give me the state in which you live I can try to find out more detailed answers.

Allniter lives in Canada.

The Criminal Code of Canada is an absolutely massive document detailing thousands of crimes and misdemeanors. Additionally, each province has their own sub-set of laws. There's just too much to cover unless you have a specific incident or individual that's bothering you.
And if that's the case, I'd probably talk to an actual lawyer if at all possible.

[JustADude]

Basically, your best bet is to restrain yourself, as you did, but if for some reason you did go "temporarily insane" and attack someone like that, you might be legally covered.

I've got too good a grip on my temper to lose it without blacking out, and then it's deadly serious. But usually only the most supreme of idiots (like the guy I mentioned in my last post) don't get defused long before I start seeing red, and even they get the hint at that point. I've been told, the few times it's gotten that far, that I don't look pissed... I apparently look "like I was about to go Silence of the Lambs on the guy".

I say deadly serious because I've only snapped once. It was in a bedroom at a friend's house during a big multi-day 'start of summer' party back during my High-school days. A bunch of us were crashing over, multiple to a room so we'd all fit, and enjoying the perks of a big, semi-wooded property with lake access. I'd gone upstairs and heard one of my female friends sounding very... distressed. She's really shy, so I figured she'd gotten stuck trying to change in the tiny WC to avoid being walked in on or something, and I'd get a laugh and maybe a quick peek.

I can't remember jack from about half a second after opening the door to after I'd been dog-piled, but apparently when I hauled him away from her I put him into a wall hard enough to break a stud, then started pounding him into a smear until I got pulled off him and sat on by people showing up to find out what the noise was. From the way it raises my hackles to this day, I have to guess I would've ended up killing him if the others hadn't stopped me; an act I'm SEVERELY grateful for. Cops never got involved, though, since he knew he deserved what he got, his parents knew he deserved what he got, and she didn't want to press charges against him. And for those wondering: it never got further than 'attempted', though it was close, but she was still really badly shaken.

[Sandman]

I don't know the laws in Canada, but you can ask anyone to leave for what ever reason, minus discrimination (contract law). When you have a store open, you are making invitations to make an offer, and you have the right to revoke that invitation at any time.

[scruff]

round here, some stores have signs up pointing out that this is private property, therefore they can ask anyone to leave, same as asking a guest to leave their home.

[DrFaroohk]

Yeah, in my store we can pretty much ask anyone to leave. The cops will come get them. They don't have to be doing anything. They could just be standing there and I don't like you so get out or the cops are coming. Granted, that's not good for business, but it can happen.