Well, I wouldn't exactly call it public, then. The law has no teeth if that's how it works.
That sounds like how law works in general.
My favorite part about law is when bureaucrats have no idea what the law is but give you an answer off the top of their head.
Always read the law.
Nobody is going to tell you what the law says.
Remember:
"Ignorantia juris non excusat or ignorantia legis neminem excusat (Latin for "ignorance of the law does not excuse" or "ignorance of the law excuses no one") is a legal principle holding that a person who is unaware of a law may not escape liability for violating that law merely because he or she was unaware of its content. In the United States, exceptions to this general rule are found in cases such as Lambert v. California (knowledge of city ordinances) and Cheek v. United States (willfulness requirement in U.S. federal tax crimes).
European law countries with a tradition of Roman law may also use the expression from Aristoteles nemo censetur ignorare legem: nobody is thought to be ignorant of the law."
And yes, this is somewhat insane.
