![]() ![]() However, the longer the length of a blade, the more likely a court will find it to be a “dangerous weapon” if concealed or carried in a vehicle. The Michigan Penal Code makes almost no mention of blade length. In other words, you can conceal carry a foldable pocket knife in Michigan. The Michigan Supreme Court found that “the legislature intended the words ‘other dangerous weapon,’ as used in section 227, to mean any concealed article or instrument which the carrier used, or carried for the purpose of using, as a weapon for bodily assault or defense,” overturning the defendant’s conviction. 500 (1945), the defendant had been convicted in the lower courts under Section 750.227(1) for carrying a concealed jackknife. In the state supreme court case of People v. Therefore, you can own and concealed carry any folding pocket knife, even if it has two cutting edges, despite the impracticality.īut, what about the catch-all phrase, “any other dangerous weapon”? This 4-word phrase has served as the basis for several criminal court cases. It is not a dagger, dirk, stiletto, or double-edged non-folding stabbing instrument. Thus, it would seemingly fall outside of the purview of Section 750.227(1). The daily carry of most knife owners is a foldable, single-edged pocket knife. Large cities like Detroit, Lansing, and others have enacted municipal codes that more strictly control the use, transport, and possession of certain knives. IMPORTANT NOTE : The following discussion covers Michigan state law, which does not preempt local law. We’ll also discuss how to transport various kinds of knives legally. Let’s break it down into something more meaningful and understandable based on the type of knife you might carry. Subsection (1) reads as follows:Ī person shall not carry a dagger, dirk, stiletto, a double-edged non-folding stabbing instrument of any length, or any other dangerous weapon, except a hunting knife adapted and carried as such, concealed on or about his or her person, or whether concealed or otherwise in any vehicle operated or occupied by the person, except in his or her dwelling house, place of business or on other land possessed by the person.Īs you can see, the Michigan State Legislature has bundled up many prohibitions and exceptions into one very long sentence found in the penal code. Section 750.227 of The Michigan Penal Code sheds a little light on the subject. The uncertainty of Michigan’s knife laws creates considerable consternation for residents who own knives and carry them every day. Most knife owner's express concern about carrying a concealed, foldable pocket knife and transporting knives in vehicles. They also explore exceptions for hunting knives and indigenous weapons. Many of the laws differentiate between open carry and concealed carry, folding and non folding knives, and single-edged and double-edged knives. Knife owners in Michigan who question the legality of their daily carry find themselves navigating a veritable labyrinth of statutes and case law. ![]()
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