As pumpkins get carved, candy is bought and costumes are fine-tuned, I came across some timely, and strange, laws pertaining to Halloween that I thought I’d share – luckily none of them apply in Florida!

Did you know that if you live in Bellville, Missouri, and you’ve passed the 8th grade, you can’t go trick-or-treating? The mayor of the town was fed up with older late-night trick-or-treaters knocking on doors past 9 pm, so he enacted this ordinance to help ease the minds of residents. 

And if you live in Walnut Creek, California and are thinking of wearing a mask, you have to first obtain a permit, as the law there states – “No person shall wear a mask or disguise on a public street without a permit from the sheriff.”

Lastly, in Hollywood, California, it is illegal to possess, use, sell or distribute silly string in public areas from 12:00 am on October 31 until 12:00 pm November 1. And violators are charged with a $1,000 fine.

If you’re feeling creative this year, Above the Law is holding its annual legally-themed costume contest – past winners have included Assault and Battery (2010),  Grandfather Clause (2011), Original Intent (2012), and Ruth Baby Ginsberg (2013) – check them out and enter your own photo here – http://abovethelaw.com/2014/10/above-the-laws-5th-annual-legally-themed-halloween-costume-contest/.

Happy Halloween!