{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-140.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-140.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-140.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-140.html"}],"law_id":65245,"edition_id":1,"section_id":65245,"structure_id":15269,"section_number":"18.2-140","catch_line":"Destruction of trees, shrubs, etc","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-178; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 757; 1998, c. 81.","full_text":"It shall be unlawful for any person to pick, pull, pull up, tear, tear up, dig, dig up, cut, break, injure, burn or destroy, in whole or in part, any tree, shrub, vine, plant, flower or turf found, growing or being upon the land of another, or upon any land reserved, set aside or maintained by the Commonwealth as a public park, or as a refuge or sanctuary for wild animals, birds or fish, or upon any land reserved, set aside or maintained as a public park by a park authority created under the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-5702, without having previously obtained the permission in writing of such other or his agent or of the superintendent or custodian of such park, refuge or sanctuary so to do, unless the same be done under the personal direction of such owner, his agent, tenant or lessee or superintendent or custodian of such park, refuge or sanctuary.\n\t\tAny person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor; provided, however, that the approval of the owner, his agent, tenant or lessee, or the superintendent or custodian of such park or sanctuary afterwards given in writing or in open court shall be a bar to further prosecution or suit.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":237336,"text":"It shall be unlawful for any person to pick, pull, pull up, tear, tear up, dig, dig up, cut, break, injure, burn or destroy, in whole or in part, any tree, shrub, vine, plant, flower or turf found, growing or being upon the land of another, or upon any land reserved, set aside or maintained by the Commonwealth as a public park, or as a refuge or sanctuary for wild animals, birds or fish, or upon any land reserved, set aside or maintained as a public park by a park authority created under the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-5702, without having previously obtained the permission in writing of such other or his agent or of the superintendent or custodian of such park, refuge or sanctuary so to do, unless the same be done under the personal direction of such owner, his agent, tenant or lessee or superintendent or custodian of such park, refuge or sanctuary.\n\t\tAny person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor; provided, however, that the approval of the owner, his agent, tenant or lessee, or the superintendent or custodian of such park or sanctuary afterwards given in writing or in open court shall be a bar to further prosecution or suit.","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":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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-140\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 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 1976, chapter 757; in 1998, chapter 81<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":80055,"section_number":"15.2-5702","catch_line":"Creation of authorities","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-5702\/"}],"permalink":{"id":165673,"object_type":"law","relational_id":65245,"identifier":"18.2-140","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-140","url":"\/18.2-140\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-140\/","token":"18.2\/5\/6\/18.2-140","dublin_core":{"Title":"Destruction of trees, shrubs, etc","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-140","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It shall be unlawful for any person to pick, pull, pull up, tear, tear up, dig, dig up, cut, break, injure, burn or destroy, in whole or in part, any tree, shrub, vine, plant, flower or turf found, growing or being upon the land of another, or upon any land reserved, set aside or maintained by the Commonwealth as a public park, or as a refuge or sanctuary for wild animals, birds or fish, or upon any land reserved, set aside or maintained as a public park by a park authority created under the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-5702<\/a>, without having previously obtained the permission in writing of such other or his agent or of the superintendent or custodian of such park, refuge or sanctuary so to do, unless the same be done under the personal direction of such owner, his agent, tenant or lessee or superintendent or custodian of such park, refuge or sanctuary.\n\t\tAny person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor<\/span>; provided, however, that the approval of the owner, his agent, tenant or lessee, or the superintendent or custodian of such park or sanctuary afterwards given in writing or in open court<\/span> shall be a bar to further prosecution<\/span> or suit.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDESTRUCTION OF TREES, SHRUBS, ETC (\u00a7 18.2-140)\n\nIt shall be unlawful for any person to pick, pull, pull up, tear, tear up, dig,\ndig up, cut, break, injure, burn or destroy, in whole or in part, any tree,\nshrub, vine, plant, flower or turf found, growing or being upon the land of\nanother, or upon any land reserved, set aside or maintained by the Commonwealth\nas a public park, or as a refuge or sanctuary for wild animals, birds or fish,\nor upon any land reserved, set aside or maintained as a public park by a park\nauthority created under the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-5702, without having\npreviously obtained the permission in writing of such other or his agent or of\nthe superintendent or custodian of such park, refuge or sanctuary so to do,\nunless the same be done under the personal direction of such owner, his agent,\ntenant or lessee or superintendent or custodian of such park, refuge or\nsanctuary.\n\t\tAny person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor;\nprovided, however, that the approval of the owner, his agent, tenant or lessee,\nor the superintendent or custodian of such park or sanctuary afterwards given in\nwriting or in open court shall be a bar to further prosecution or suit.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-178; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 757;\n1998, c. 81.","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}}