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2.07.07 # 5:59 # Current Affairs # No CommentI was recently talking to my Aunt Polly and we happened to get on the subject of the odd cases her law firm has handled. It is a little known fact that, in Canada, it is illegal to pay for a 50 cent item with only pennies. My Aunt had occasion to defend a man who attempted to do just that. He was purchasing a quantity of the so-called "penny candy" which just happened to cost fifty cents. Earlier that day he had broken his piggy bank and rolled all of his change. He had driven to the bank and cashed it in. When he got back in his car he discovered that one roll of pennies had been left behind. The man believed that there would be no problem spending it at a convenience store.
When he put the roll of coins down for his purchase, however, he discovered that he had made a grave error. The clerk was quite familiar with the obscure law and she called the police who came and arrested the man. Naturally, he felt that his imprisonment was unjust which was where my Aunt Polly’s law firm came into the picture. In the initial court appearance they plead not guilty and the man was released on his own recognizance. At the trial the defense team was able to produce legal precedent showing that paying for items with rolls of coin was acceptable, the letter of the law indicated that it was only loose coins that were actually illegal.
The man was elated that the charges were dropped and the law firm was excited to win such an important case. Thus everybody was very happy with the outcome. The clerk who pressed the charges could not be reached for comment.
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