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Rules written for telephones and telegraphs most of us have never used.
Our overview
South Carolina's quoted definition describes a party line as one subscriber circuit with two or more main stations, each with a distinctive ring or number. Both South Carolina and Michigan make it a misdemeanor to willfully refuse to give up the line for an emergency call, or to ask for it on an emergency pretext known to be false.
The telegraph laws read like instructions for a business that ran on clerks and messengers. North Carolina makes it a misdemeanor for telegraph staff to willfully reveal what a message says, and Wisconsin requires the recipient's copy of an in-state telegram to show, to the minute, when it was handed in and when it arrived.
Written by Silly Rules from the quoted laws below. Not legal advice.
Michigan · MCL 750.540a
“Any person who shall wilfully refuse to yield or surrender the use of a party line to another person for the purpose of permitting such other person to report a fire or summon police, medical or other aid in case of emergency, …”
North Carolina · N.C. Gen. Stat. 14-371
“If any person wrongfully obtains, or attempts to obtain, any knowledge of a telegraphic message by connivance with a clerk, operator, messenger, or other employee of a telegraph company, or, being such clerk, operator, messenger, …”
South Carolina · S.C. Code 16-17-450
“Any person who shall wilfully refuse to relinquish immediately a party telephone line when informed that such line is needed for an emergency call to a fire department or police department or for medical aid or ambulance service …”
Wisconsin · Wis. Stat. 134.35
“Every person, firm or corporation operating a telegraph line or lines in this state shall, without extra charge therefor, cause to be written, stamped or printed in a conspicuous place upon the addressee's copy of each telegram …”
Every quote on this site was matched against its official page on October 14, 2026. Text match only; current legal status and enforcement not verified.