Q: When encountering a no trespassing sign does the act of trespass begin after passing the sign or before
if you are homeless and sitting on a curb in front of a fenced property where a sign is posted are you in violation of trespassing by just being near a sign or do you have to cross onto that property/pass the posted sign. Extendedly, if you are homeless and you are sitting on a curb/sidewalk waiting for a local soup kitchen to open (The property is gated with a No trespassing sign on the fence) are you still guilty of trespass? does simply sitting on the sidewalk in front of said property constitute a crime?
A:
Theoretically the trespass would occur when a person or objects breaks the plane over the imaginary property line. If the sign is directly over this line, then a person or object would have to extend onto the property past the sign before the actual trespass could be said to have occurred. If there is an obvious physical barrier on the property line and the sign is further onto the property, it is possible to trespass before reaching the sign if there is an obvious demarcation line to indicate where the property not to be trespassed begins.
I hope that helps!
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
