Virginia criminal charge
Injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc in Virginia
Injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc is a criminal offense under Virginia law, defined by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127. Its classification is not fixed: Virginia assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127.
What is the penalty for injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc in Virginia?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 12 months (Injury to church property, cemetery trees/plants, ornaments, or obstruction of access — Applies when a person willfully or maliciously destroys or damages trees/shrubs/plants, flowers/ornaments, or obstructs ingress/egress at a church, church property, or cemetery/memorial lot.) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Injury to church property, cemetery trees/plants, ornaments, or obstruction of access — Applies when a person willfully or maliciously destroys or damages trees/shrubs/plants, flowers/ornaments, or obstructs ingress/egress at a church, church property, or cemetery/memorial lot.; either or both with confinement (§ 18.2-11(a))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11 |
| Jail / prison | up to 12 months (Placing dead animal in church or church property — Applies when a person maliciously places a dead animal within a church or on church property.) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Placing dead animal in church or church property — Applies when a person maliciously places a dead animal within a church or on church property.; either or both with confinement (§ 18.2-11(a))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11 |
| Jail / prison | 1 years to 5 years (Destruction of structures, monuments, or fixtures in church or cemetery — Applies when a person willfully or maliciously destroys, mutilates, defaces, injures, or removes any permanently affixed object/structure in a church, or any tomb, monument, gravestone, fence, or similar structure in a cemetery or memorial lot.; or, at the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both (§ 18.2-10(f))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Destruction of structures, monuments, or fixtures in church or cemetery — Applies when a person willfully or maliciously destroys, mutilates, defaces, injures, or removes any permanently affixed object/structure in a church, or any tomb, monument, gravestone, fence, or similar structure in a cemetery or memorial lot.; with the jail-confinement alternative under § 18.2-10(f)) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
Applies to current.
How is injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc classified in Virginia?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injury to church property, cemetery trees/plants, ornaments, or obstruction of access | Class 1 Misdemeanor | Applies when a person willfully or maliciously destroys or damages trees/shrubs/plants, flowers/ornaments, or obstructs ingress/egress at a church, church property, or cemetery/memorial lot. | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127A |
| Placing dead animal in church or church property | Class 1 Misdemeanor | Applies when a person maliciously places a dead animal within a church or on church property. | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127B |
| Destruction of structures, monuments, or fixtures in church or cemetery | Class 6 Felony | Applies when a person willfully or maliciously destroys, mutilates, defaces, injures, or removes any permanently affixed object/structure in a church, or any tomb, monument, gravestone, fence, or similar structure in a cemetery or memorial lot. | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127C |
Common questions about injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc in Virginia
Is injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?
It depends on the circumstances: injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127.
Injury to church property, cemetery trees/plants, ornaments, or obstruction of access: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127A) · Placing dead animal in church or church property: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127B) · Destruction of structures, monuments, or fixtures in church or cemetery: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127C)
What are the penalties for injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc in Virginia?
Penalties for injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc in Virginia depend on how it is classified — from a class 1 misdemeanor up to a class 6 felony — with the ranges set by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11 and Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Virginia statute covers injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc?
Injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-127 (Injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc.; penalty).
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.