Do you feel like there should be a limit on the number of times someone can do something?

Like one of my former co-workers said she had an uncle who has been married 9 times... and they stopped buying gifts after #7 and the bride understood...

Or if someone had been to jail over 20 times (clearly that isn't teaching them anything)...

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Thinkerbell · 41-45, F

There used to be a rule about three felony convictions, and you're in for life... 🤔

JustGoneNow

@Thinkerbell That’s state by state. But, yeah… still is in some states.

Viper · M

@Thinkerbell I think that is true in California..... and maybe other states, but they also lighten up on it a bit as poor people were being treated worse by it...

Like three bad checks (which is three felonies) when the person didn't mean to write a bad one...

I even have written a "bad check" after my bank froze my account and didn't inform me after they were concerned about something... and the "bad check" for for less than $20...

Thinkerbell · 41-45, F

@Viper

That couldn't possibly be a felony.

I think it's a felony only if you forge a check in someone else's name.

Viper · M

@Thinkerbell A felony is any crime that can get you a year in prison...

And in some states you can absolutely get more than a year in prison for bad checks...

Usually they aren't unless it's a large amount or they think you proposely or repeatedly doing it... but they can be and they have lossen that law in recent decades.... it used to be much more strict and less wiggle room for law enforcement

But some poor person trying to pay their bills, and their check gets cashed before bthe payroll where sometimes getting in trouble with that in the past..

Thinkerbell · 41-45, F

@Viper

Well, maybe if it's a large amount, habitual, and made with a deliberate intent to defraud...

We once sold a house, and the lawyer for the buyer gave us a "lawyer's check" for $20,000.
It bounced, because the lawyer's deposit from the buyer hadn't yet cleared. 😲

Needless to say, we weren't very happy with that.
Fortunately the check cleared the second time around.

Viper · M

@Thinkerbell

Consider the case of Billy Wayne Brown, a Texas prisoner doing a life sentence for having written three insufficient funds checks with a total value of $ 952.

Billy Wayne was first arrested in 1968 when he bounced a $56 car insurance check His second case came in 1975: a $256 check for a CB radio and antenna. The third case was for a $640 rent check he bounced in October, 1981.

Looks like one month after his last arrest or last conviction... Texas upped it to only a Felony if it's over $750... which none of his were...

Thinkerbell · 41-45, F

@Viper

Life imprisonment for less than $1000?!

The governor ought to commute sentences like that.

Viper · M

@Thinkerbell I meant to post the link, but it's funny that you mentioned that, as the article was talking about Texas Governor George Bush and weather he should commute it or not... it was really old information lol

But yes, my understanding is that in the south (especially Texas) check fraud was a serious offense, which included low amount checks bouncing...

Of course, I just remembered an USFL story where they said the football players would race over to the bank on payday, because the first ones would be paid out and the last ones would always bounce... as the owner was asset rich but cash poor... and never had enough money in the bank to pay everyone right away... and I thought that guy was in Texas, but I don't know what years or what amounts those were.