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FBaggins

(28,430 posts)
6. They are - but the standard for duress is a much higher bar than that
Tue Aug 19, 2025, 06:53 PM
Aug 19

As an example - many states allow you to sign a speeding ticket as a promise to show up in court (unless you want to plead guilty and just pay the ticket). Doing so is entirely voluntary... but you are signing "in lieu of arrest" - so if you don't sign they're going to take you to jail. You can't then sign but claim that it's invalid because you were under duress.

If the cop pulled a taser and said you had to sign that would be duress.

In this case they have the power to lock all of the recently-absent legislators up and hold them until the votes are completed. It's a ridiculous abuse of power, but it doesn't constitute duress to offer an alternative.

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