Don’t Get Caught Trespassing On California Beaches

Don’t Get Caught Trespassing On California Beaches

Everyone knows what trespassing is; however, there can be a bit of a gray area for people when it comes to certain locations. Some locations make sense, such as stores and restaurants. Some locations, on the other hand, seem impossible to close. How can you close a location that doesn’t have a ceiling, walls or even fences? This is what many people wonder when they hear that parks are closed.

As people grapple with constant closures of places like local parks. A big talking point right now is the closure of state beaches, which is becoming more and more upsetting as the weather warms. People want to go and cool off with their favorite beach activities, but it isn’t safe to do so. Just because a place doesn’t have a fence, doesn’t mean it can’t be closed. Once a beach or any other type of park is closed, that means nobody can enter that vicinity. If caught doing so, a person could face trespassing charges.

California’s Trespassing Law

Here in California, trespassing is made illegal under Penal Code 602. This law defines the act of trespassing as a person willfully entering someone else’s property without permission or remaining on the property after they’ve been instructed to leave.

Under this definition, there are two different scenarios in which a person can be guilty of trespassing. The first is the one that most people are familiar with. It occurs when a person sneaks onto the property that they don’t have permission to be on. The second scenario occurs when a person initially had permission to be on the property, but then the owner told the person to leave and the person remained on the property anyway.

Under this law, willfully entering or occupying a person’s property means the person knowing entered or remained on the property. This does not mean that they had to know they were breaking the law, just that they knew they were entering the property. If someone goes onto a closed beach with a bunch of beach gear, it is obvious that they meant to enter the closed property and will likely be found guilty of trespassing.

The Consequences Of Trespassing

Since there are different types of trespassing, a person accused of the crime can face infraction, misdemeanor or even felony charges. The exact type of charge is dependent on the facts of the case.

Most first-time trespassing offenses earn a person infraction charges that come with a $75 fine. A second offense on the same land sees the fine increase to $250. A third and any subsequent, offense on the same land will earn a person misdemeanor charges.

The penalties for misdemeanor trespassing include:

  • Up to six months in county jail.
  • A max fine of $1,000.
  • Misdemeanor probation.

Felony trespassing only occurs when a person makes a credible threat against another individual and then, within 30 days of making that threat, is caught trespassing on the person’s property or place of work. While this doesn’t really apply to the closed park and beaches scenario, the consequences for this particular crime include:

  • 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in county jail.
  • A max fine of $10,000.
  • Felony probation.

Don’t Go To The Beach Yet

So far, 2020 has been off to a rocky start and these last few months have been tough on everyone. As the weather warms up, it is only natural that all Californians begin to daydream about laying out on a towel listening to the roaring waves of the ocean. Unfortunately, now isn’t the best time to be going anywhere that is crowded.

Most California beaches are currently closed. Unless they slowly reopen some of the beaches, they will most likely remain closed for a while. Even though they may not look closed, people should stay away from them for the time being or else they could end up facing trespassing charges.