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Comment by k2enemy | Hacker News Reader

> When is it a crime to knowingly be selling to criminals?

If only there were an entire profession and legal system that has been asking and answering questions like this for hundreds of years.

I know programmers want to believe otherwise, but common law can't be boiled down to single line "if statements."

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> I know programmers want to believe otherwise, but common law can’t be boiled down to single line “if statements.”

It often can, but programmers often don’t like that, either, because instead of hinging purely on acts that enable simple hacks, it often hinges on things like knowledge and intent.

Uh you do realize "judicial review" is a thing. And also "judges completely ignoring the law" is another.

Civil law is an interesting solution to that problem. Lets go live to Paris, France to ask them how it's going!

What are you hinting at with your reference to France? Yes, France has a civil law legal system. Knowledge and intent are still considered when deciding on guilt and sentence. What's your point?

https://xkcd.com/1494/

Common law, like all law, boils down to if the state wants to fuck you they will find a way. I just enjoy pointing out the hypocrisies and double speak along the way.

I think there are a lot of examples of people the state wants to get but can't. And in many cases, common law is what saves said targets. Newer legislation that overrides common law like the Patriot Act or DMCA is what ends up being used more frequently to "get" people.

It doesn't seem like you're very good at it.

Perhaps not, but I've heard the best way to get better at something is to practice.

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