{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-152.7.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-152.7.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-152.7.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-152.7.html"}],"law_id":81717,"edition_id":1,"section_id":81717,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.7","catch_line":"Personal trespass by computer; penalty","history":"1984, c. 751; 1985, c. 322; 2003, cc. 987, 1016; 2005, cc. 746, 761, 827.","full_text":"A\n\nA person is guilty of the crime of personal trespass by computer when he uses a computer or computer network to cause physical injury to an individual.B\n\nIf committed maliciously, the crime of personal trespass by computer shall be punishable as a Class 3 felony. If such act is done unlawfully but not maliciously, the crime of personal trespass by computer shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":292725,"text":"A person is guilty of the crime of personal trespass by computer when he uses a computer or computer network to cause physical injury to an individual.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":292726,"text":"If committed maliciously, the crime of personal trespass by computer shall be punishable as a Class 3 felony. If such act is done unlawfully but not maliciously, the crime of personal trespass by computer shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13888,"edition_id":1,"name":"Computer Crimes","identifier":"7.1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13243,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:11","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:11","permalink":{"id":165759,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13888,"identifier":"7.1","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1","url":"\/18.2\/5\/7.1\/","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":61215,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.1","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/18.2-152.1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.1","metadata":false},{"id":67728,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.11","catch_line":"Article not exclusive","url":"\/18.2-152.11\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.11","metadata":false},{"id":67574,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.12","catch_line":"Civil relief; damages","url":"\/18.2-152.12\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.12","metadata":false},{"id":61553,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.13","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-152.13\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.13","metadata":false},{"id":75179,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.14","catch_line":"Computer as instrument of forgery","url":"\/18.2-152.14\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.14","metadata":false},{"id":61998,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.15","catch_line":"Encryption used in criminal activity","url":"\/18.2-152.15\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.15","metadata":false},{"id":69363,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.16","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-152.16\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.16","metadata":false},{"id":54922,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.2","catch_line":"Definitions; computer crimes","url":"\/18.2-152.2\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.2","metadata":false},{"id":55403,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.3","catch_line":"Computer fraud; penalty","url":"\/18.2-152.3\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.3","metadata":false},{"id":65981,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.3:1","catch_line":"Transmission of unsolicited commercial electronic mail (spam); penalty","url":"\/18.2-152.3_1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.3_1","metadata":{"court_decisions":{"0":{"name":"Jaynes v. Com.","case_number":"Record 062388.","citation":"666 S.E.2d 303","date":"2008-09-12","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1058457\/jaynes-v-com\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 666 S.E.2d 303 (2008) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"SCV<\/abbr>"},"1":{"name":"Jaynes v. Commonwealth","case_number":"Record 062388.","citation":"662 S.E.2d 502","date":"2008-05-19","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1208176\/jaynes-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 662 S.E.2d 502 (2008) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"SCV<\/abbr>"},"2":{"name":"Jaynes v. Com.","case_number":"Record 062388.","citation":"657 S.E.2d 478","date":"2008-02-29","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1374657\/jaynes-v-com\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 657 S.E.2d 478 (2008) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"SCV<\/abbr>"},"3":{"name":"Jaynes v. Commonwealth","case_number":"1054054","citation":"634 S.E.2d 357","date":"2006-09-05","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/1063170\/jaynes-v-commonwealth\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 634 S.E.2d 357 (2006) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"COA<\/abbr>"},"4":{"name":"Maxient, LLC v. Symplicity Corp.","case_number":"Civil Action No. 1:14-cv-1184 (AJT\/IDD)","citation":"63 F. Supp. 3d 592","date":"2014-10-23","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/7310209\/maxient-llc-v-symplicity-corp\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. MEMORANDUM OPINION .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, E.D. Virginia"},"5":{"name":"Aitken v. Communications Workers of America","case_number":"1:06cv1161","citation":"496 F. Supp. 2d 653","date":"2007-07-12","url":"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/opinion\/2350492\/aitken-v-communications-workers-of-america\/","abstract":" .\u202f.\u202f. 496 F.Supp.2d 653 (2007) .\u202f.\u202f. ","court_html":"District Court, E.D. Virginia"}}}},{"id":86767,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.4","catch_line":"Computer trespass; penalty","url":"\/18.2-152.4\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.4","metadata":false},{"id":55981,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.5","catch_line":"Computer invasion of privacy; penalties","url":"\/18.2-152.5\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.5","metadata":false},{"id":82685,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.5:1","catch_line":"Using a computer to gather identifying information; penalties","url":"\/18.2-152.5_1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.5_1","metadata":false},{"id":61696,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.6","catch_line":"Theft of computer services; penalties","url":"\/18.2-152.6\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.6","metadata":false},{"id":81717,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.7","catch_line":"Personal trespass by computer; penalty","url":"\/18.2-152.7\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.7","metadata":false},{"id":66409,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.7:1","catch_line":"Harassment by computer; penalty","url":"\/18.2-152.7_1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.7_1","metadata":false},{"id":71533,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.7:2","catch_line":"Using computer to commit a scheme involving false representations; penalty","url":"\/18.2-152.7_2\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.7_2","metadata":false},{"id":86652,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.8","catch_line":"Property capable of embezzlement","url":"\/18.2-152.8\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.8","metadata":false},{"id":55168,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.9","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-152.9\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":61696,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.6","catch_line":"Theft of computer services; penalties","url":"\/18.2-152.6\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.6","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":66409,"structure_id":13888,"section_number":"18.2-152.7:1","catch_line":"Harassment by computer; penalty","url":"\/18.2-152.7_1\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.7_1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-152.7\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1984. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 751 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1984 \u201cActs\u201d aren\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 1985, chapter 322; in 2003, chapters 987<\/a> and 1016<\/a>; in 2005, chapters 746<\/a>, 761<\/a>, and 827<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":80246,"section_number":"17.1-805","catch_line":"Adoption of initial discretionary sentencing guideline midpoints","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-805\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":165817,"object_type":"law","relational_id":81717,"identifier":"18.2-152.7","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.7","url":"\/18.2-152.7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-152.7\/","token":"18.2\/5\/7.1\/18.2-152.7","dublin_core":{"Title":"Personal trespass by computer; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-152.7","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> A person<\/span> is guilty of the crime<\/span> of personal trespass by computer when he uses a computer or computer network<\/span> to cause physical injury to an individual. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If committed maliciously, the crime<\/span> of personal trespass by computer shall be punishable as a Class 3 felony<\/span>. If such act is done unlawfully but not maliciously, the crime<\/span> of personal trespass by computer shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPERSONAL TRESPASS BY COMPUTER; PENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-152.7)\n\nA. A person is guilty of the crime of personal trespass by computer when he uses\na computer or computer network to cause physical injury to an individual.\n\nB. If committed maliciously, the crime of personal trespass by computer shall be\npunishable as a Class 3 felony. If such act is done unlawfully but not\nmaliciously, the crime of personal trespass by computer shall be punishable as a\nClass 6 felony.\n\nHISTORY: 1984, c. 751; 1985, c. 322; 2003, cc. 987, 1016; 2005, cc. 746, 761,\n827.","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}}