Strip Clubs Have No Artistic Value, Court Rules In Awkwardly Hilarious Decision

A New York strip club was denied a "dramatic or musical arts performances" tax exemption in a ruling Tuesday. But the court was split 4-3, making for some awesome responses from the judges.

On Tuesday, the New York Court of Appeals ruled 4-3 that Nite Moves, a strip club seven miles north of Albany, is not exempt from paying sales taxes on admission and private dance fees under the state's arts exemption.

The three judges who sided with Nite Moves argued that it's not the government's job to decide what kind of dance is "cultural and artistic." But the deciding judges argued that if ice dancing isn't exempt, neither is lap dancing.

The court's decision:

Reuters / Reuters

Written by Judges Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, Victoria Graffeo, Eugene Pigott Jr. and Theodore Jones Jr.

The dissent:

Reuters / Reuters

Reuters / Reuters

Written by Judge Robert Smith.