After Congressmen Jonathan Cilley of Maine and William Graves of Kentucky traded shots at Maryland’s Bladensburg Dueling Grounds in 1838, Congress banned dueling on the streets of D.C. Centuries later, gun violence still haunts city communities, but Ward 3 Councilmember Kathy Patterson believes the dueling ban has outlived its utility. In a Dec. 5 Committee on the Judiciary hearing, councilmembers discussed Patterson’s Elimination of Outdated Criminal Statutes Amendment Act of 2002, which seeks to repeal laws against dueling, fornication, malicious fence burning, and other antiquated offenses. “Technically, they’re enforceable, but they haven’t been for 20 or 30 years,” says Patterson’s chief of staff, Penny Pagano. “Like requiring glass vestibules for motormen. We don’t have motormen, but I suppose if you find a streetcar without a vestibule, you could [punish the owner].” —Sarah Godfrey