It is unlawful to maliciously bite off another person's ear.

The Law

This highly specific law traces its roots back to the brutal bare-knuckle brawling and dueling cultures of the 18th and 19th centuries. 'Gouging' and biting off appendages was a common way to settle disputes in the backcountry. Today, it falls under the state's strict mayhem and disfigurement statutes, carrying a severe felony penalty.