Virginia statute
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-120 — Instigating, etc., such trespass by others; preventing service to persons not forbidden to trespass
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Article 5: Trespass to Realty, Code of Virginia.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-120
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.
If any person shall solicit, urge, encourage, exhort, instigate or procure another or others to go upon or remain upon the lands, buildings, or premises of another, or any part, portion or area thereof, knowing such other person or persons to have been forbidden, either orally or in writing, to do so by the owner, lessee, custodian or other person lawfully in charge thereof, or knowing such other person or persons to have been forbidden to do so by a sign or signs posted on such lands, buildings, premises or part, portion or area thereof at a place or places where it or they may reasonably be seen; or if any person shall, on such lands, buildings, premises or part, portion or area thereof prevent or seek to prevent the owner, lessee, custodian, person in charge or any of his employees from rendering service to any person or persons not so forbidden, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is instigating, etc., such trespass by others a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?
Instigating, etc., such trespass by others is a class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-120.
Which Virginia statute covers instigating, etc., such trespass by others?
Instigating, etc., such trespass by others is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-120 (Instigating, etc., such trespass by others; preventing service to persons not forbidden to trespass).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.