{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-138.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-138.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-138.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-138.html"}],"law_id":71615,"edition_id":1,"section_id":71615,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-138","catch_line":"Damaging public buildings, etc.; penalty","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-177; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1990, c. 454.","full_text":"Any person who willfully and maliciously (i) breaks any window or door of the Capitol, any courthouse, house of public worship, institution of higher education, school house, city or town hall, or other public building or library, (ii) damages or defaces the Capitol or any other public building or any statuary in the Capitol, on the Capitol Square, or in or on any other public buildings or public grounds, or (iii) destroys any property in any of such buildings shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony if damage to the property is $1,000 or more or a Class 1 misdemeanor if the damage is less than $1,000.\n\t\tAny person who willfully and unlawfully damages or defaces any book, newspaper, magazine, pamphlet, map, picture, manuscript, or other property located in any library, reading room, museum, or other educational institution shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony if damage to the property is $1,000 or more or a Class 1 misdemeanor if the damage is less than $1,000.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":258086,"text":"Any person who willfully and maliciously (i) breaks any window or door of the Capitol, any courthouse, house of public worship, institution of higher education, school house, city or town hall, or other public building or library, (ii) damages or defaces the Capitol or any other public building or any statuary in the Capitol, on the Capitol Square, or in or on any other public buildings or public grounds, or (iii) destroys any property in any of such buildings shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony if damage to the property is $1,000 or more or a Class 1 misdemeanor if the damage is less than $1,000.\n\t\tAny person who willfully and unlawfully damages or defaces any book, newspaper, magazine, pamphlet, map, picture, manuscript, or other property located in any library, reading room, museum, or other educational institution shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony if damage to the property is $1,000 or more or a Class 1 misdemeanor if the damage is less than $1,000.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15269,"edition_id":1,"name":"Damage to Realty and Personalty Thereon","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13243,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:27","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:27","permalink":{"id":165655,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15269,"identifier":"6","token":"18.2\/5\/6","url":"\/18.2\/5\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13243,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Against Property","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","permalink":{"id":165299,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13243,"identifier":"5","token":"18.2\/5","url":"\/18.2\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":83724,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-137","catch_line":"Injuring, etc., any property, monument, etc","url":"\/18.2-137\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-137","metadata":false},{"id":71615,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-138","catch_line":"Damaging public buildings, etc.; penalty","url":"\/18.2-138\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-138","metadata":false},{"id":65177,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-138.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-138.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-138.1","metadata":false},{"id":58109,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-139","catch_line":"Injuries to trees, fences or herbage on grounds of Capitol, or in any public square","url":"\/18.2-139\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-139","metadata":false},{"id":65245,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-140","catch_line":"Destruction of trees, shrubs, etc","url":"\/18.2-140\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-140","metadata":false},{"id":59096,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-141","catch_line":"Cutting or destroying trees; carrying axe, saw, etc., while hunting","url":"\/18.2-141\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-141","metadata":false},{"id":59924,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-142","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-142\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-142","metadata":false},{"id":64994,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-143","catch_line":"Pulling down fences or leaving open gates","url":"\/18.2-143\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-143","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83724,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-137","catch_line":"Injuring, etc., any property, monument, etc","url":"\/18.2-137\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-137","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":65177,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-138.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-138.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-138.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-138\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1990, chapter 454.<\/p>","references":[{"id":62824,"section_number":"16.1-278.8","catch_line":"Delinquent juveniles","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-278.8\/"},{"id":86583,"section_number":"18.2-46.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-46.1\/"},{"id":82621,"section_number":"19.2-305.1","catch_line":"Restitution for property damage or loss; community service","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-305.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":165661,"object_type":"law","relational_id":71615,"identifier":"18.2-138","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-138","url":"\/18.2-138\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-138\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-138","dublin_core":{"Title":"Damaging public buildings, etc.; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-138","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any person who willfully and maliciously (i) breaks any window or door of the Capitol, any courthouse, house of public worship, institution of higher education, school house, city or town hall, or other public building or library, (ii) damages<\/span> or defaces the Capitol or any other public building or any statuary in the Capitol, on the Capitol Square, or in or on any other public buildings or public grounds, or (iii) destroys any property in any of such buildings shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony<\/span> if damage to the property is $1,000 or more or a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span> if the damage is less than $1,000.\n\t\tAny person who willfully and unlawfully damages<\/span> or defaces any book, newspaper, magazine, pamphlet, map, picture, manuscript, or other property located in any library, reading room, museum, or other educational institution shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony<\/span> if damage to the property is $1,000 or more or a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span> if the damage is less than $1,000.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDAMAGING PUBLIC BUILDINGS, ETC.; PENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-138)\n\nAny person who willfully and maliciously (i) breaks any window or door of the\nCapitol, any courthouse, house of public worship, institution of higher\neducation, school house, city or town hall, or other public building or library,\n(ii) damages or defaces the Capitol or any other public building or any statuary\nin the Capitol, on the Capitol Square, or in or on any other public buildings or\npublic grounds, or (iii) destroys any property in any of such buildings shall be\nguilty of a Class 6 felony if damage to the property is $1,000 or more or a\nClass 1 misdemeanor if the damage is less than $1,000.\n\t\tAny person who willfully and unlawfully damages or defaces any book,\nnewspaper, magazine, pamphlet, map, picture, manuscript, or other property\nlocated in any library, reading room, museum, or other educational institution\nshall be guilty of a Class 6 felony if damage to the property is $1,000 or more\nor a Class 1 misdemeanor if the damage is less than $1,000.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-177; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1990, c. 454.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}