Law 2101 Study Guide - Quiz Guide: Mens Rea, Indictable Offence, Summary Offence
Document Summary
Mistake of law: not an excuse: ignorance of the law 19. Where you rely on someone who is officially responsible for administering law and they give you false info. However, kerans rejects this and says that s. 19 of the code applies to this case. This was not a mistake in fact; it was a mistake in law that made her "ignorant of the law". He says that the principle that the ignorance of the law should not be a defence is not justified because it is fair, but because it is necessary even though it will sometimes produce anomalous results. Therefore he finds that the dancer"s conviction must stand, as she is only ignorant of the law which is no defence. However, he gives her an absolute discharge from her conviction as go-go dancing is not really a problem in. He says the same thing about her boss, who was also convicted and discharged.
