What Rhymes With #@!&*?

In the news this week is a report of a woman in northern New Jersey being charged with disorderly conduct for cursing at a school principal during a school forum. The woman has since said that she regrets her outburst, but school officials reportedly have said that they are prosecuting her to show that people can't get away with calling principals vulgar names.

Immediately this reminded us of a case from decades ago, in which a man frustrated with judicial delays cursed at a court clerk over the telephone. He, too, was then charged. He was convicted, but on appeal his conviction was overturned. The basis of the reversal was that cursing often springs forth spontaneously, from emotion. Memorably, the ruling judge issued his opinion entirely in rhyme. We can’t claim to remember it verbatim, but we recall:

Can you curse when hitting your thumb with a hammer
Without risk of spending a month in the slammer?
When the bank computer errs and bounces your checks
Should your language be confined to Aw Gees and Oh Hecks?

Perhaps the North Jersey woman can cite this legal precedent.