Intrusion is a serious matter. You may not think there’s anything unsuitable with stepping on another person’s land for one reason or one other, but I’m willing to bet you will feel completely different if someone is in your land.
Whether you’re thinking that it’s the best crime or simply plain disrespectful, the law tells us trespassing is definitely punishable by fines and imprisonment.
As such, it’s in your best interest to know trespassing law from start to complete in your state.
Only in this manner will the precise scope of your rights, in addition to what is predicted of you in terms of respecting the property of others.
But the law is different regarding trespassing in each state, sometimes a bit, sometimes quite a bit.
Wyoming is a state with few and completely clear trespassing laws. Still, you actually have to know what they’re.
Read on and we’ll let you know every little thing you should find out about Wyoming’s trespassing laws.
An overview of the Wyoming trespass law
- Trespassing is sort of all the time a misdemeanor in Wyoming.
- Trespassing can only be a criminal offense in a single case: unlawfully entering an occupied structure with the intention of committing beatings against the occupants.
- Wyoming has few trespassing statutes in comparison with other states.
What constitutes trespassing in Wyoming?
The specific definition of trespassing is state-to-state and may never be assumed to present state use of the common definition in a legal context.
Knowing the illegal definition of trespass or illegal entry is the one solution to understand the statutes.
In Wyoming, a criminal misdemeanor is defined as entering or being on another person’s property or property with an individual entering knowing that she or he just isn’t authorized or having been notified that she or he may not enter.
A notice, on this context, could also be a direct personal communication from the owner or agent of the owner, or the presence of posted signage that shows the property is off-limits to intruders.
Definitely a mouthful in comparison with the common definition, but you possibly can read it for yourself in section 6-3-303:
6-3-303. criminal misdemeanor; penalties.
(a) An individual is guilty of a criminal offense if he enters or stays on one other person’s land or property knowing that he just isn’t authorized to achieve this, or after being instructed to go away or to not enter. For the needs of this Section, the notification shall be made by:
(i) Personal communication with an individual by the owner or tenant, their agent or peace officer; Or
(ii) Placing signs which might be more likely to attract the eye of intruders.
(b) A felony is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, a effective not exceeding seven hundred and fifty dollars (US$750.00), or each.
(c) This section doesn’t replace WS 1-21-1003.
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Does Wyoming require “No Trespassing” signs?
NO. No trespassing signs aren’t really required in Wyoming, but they seem to be a excellent idea, on condition that they function a trespassing warning when placed around property in areas where intruders’ intentions are more likely to come.
Given that the choice is direct and private notification of intruders or potential intruders, it is strongly recommended to place up signage!
Is a fence required to guard property?
NO. A fence just isn’t required to guard property in Wyoming.
What other signs indicate “no trespassing”?
Nothing. Some states have implemented “purple paint” anti-intrusion property posting laws, often used as an alternative choice to posting signage or erecting fences.
These regulations got their name, as you would possibly expect, because they typically prescribe using vibrant purple paint on tree trunks, fence posts, and other features to let people know they’re approaching another person’s property line and that trespassing is prohibited.
Not so with Wyoming though: you will have to place up signs.
Can Attorneys Ignore No Trespassing Signs?
NO. Attorneys should follow the no trespassing signs posted in Wyoming, especially since much of the state is rural.
Now, lawyers who feel brave enough can ignore a no trespassing sign posted in a suburban neighborhood and even an urban area in a bigger city, because they’re, in a way, asking the property owner for permission to be there. But this just isn’t advisable.
In any case, no lawyer can ignore a locked or blocked gate or other entry barrier to a driveway or walkway.
Can trespassing lead to an arrest in Wyoming?
Absolutely. Wyoming is sort of serious in terms of trespassing, and gross misconduct against signage or direct notice, trespassing right into a constructing or vehicle, and other similar offenses may end up in fairly serious misdemeanor charges with fines of several hundred dollars and imprisonment of as much as 6 months.
You can see this in section 6-3-302 on entry penalties:
6-3-302. criminal entry; penalties; affirmative defense.
(a) An individual is guilty of a criminal record if, without authorization, he knowingly enters a constructing, occupied structure, vehicle, or cargo area of a truck or trailer, or a individually secured or occupied portion of those facilities.
(b) The defense against prosecution under this section is that:
(i) The entry was entered due to a mistake of fact or to save lots of life or property in an emergency;
(ii) The homestead has been abandoned;
(iii) the homestead was open to the general public at the moment and the person complied with all legal conditions for accessing or staying within the homestead; Or
(iv) A one that reasonably believed that the owner of the enclosure or other person authorized to acquire permission to access the enclosure would authorize entry.
(c) Criminal misdemeanor is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, a effective not exceeding seven hundred and fifty dollars (US$750.00), or each.
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Can you sue someone for trespassing?
Yes you possibly can. If someone is a blatant intruder, a repeat offender, or has trespassed with the intent to harass, threaten, or stalk you, you actually have a reason to take them to court.
Likewise, any intruder who causes damage to a fence, land, or every other property during a trespass, or who simply seriously violates your privacy or right to a peaceful domain, may be the goal of a lawsuit.
Also keep this in mind should you are a hunter, hiker or anyone else who spends quite a lot of time working and traveling outdoors so you do not by accident trespass on another person’s property and find yourself in the identical situation.
Special cases of trespassing in Wyoming
Wyoming has only a handful of trespassing statutes, and fewer for specific cases of trespass, but one essential one is in 6-3-202 changing landmarks and penalties for it.
In short, anyone who tampers with any marker, installation, monument, or tree that’s used to mark a corner or lot boundary faces one other severe misdemeanor charge.
You can read an excerpt from 6-3-202 slightly below:
6-3-202. change of landmarks; penalties.
(a) An individual is guilty of altering landmarks if, with the intent to destroy or obliterate a mark on a monument, landmark, or fruit tree marking a corner or boundary of an area of land, knowingly:
(i) removes a monument or landmark;
(ii) destroys or alters the mark; Or
(iii) Breaks, cuts down or removes a monument, landmark or fruit tree.
(b) Changing Landmarks is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment to not exceed six (6) months, a effective to not exceed seven hundred and fifty dollars (US$750.00), or each.
