Title 39, Criminal Offenses

(a) It is unlawful for any person to take fish out of the box, net, basket or off the hook of another person, or to raise any box, net, basket, or trot-line, without the consent of the owner of the device, unless the fish is taken by an officer to be used as evidence in the prose…

(a) (1) In case any impounded animal is without necessary food and water for more than twelve (12) successive hours, it is lawful for any person, as often as necessary, to enter any place in which any animal is so confined, and to supply it with necessary food and water so long a…

A person who intentionally or knowingly unlawfully injures the guide dog of another and, thereby, permanently deprives the owner of the use of the guide dog's services commits theft of that animal and shall be punished under § 39-14-105. In determining the value of the guide dog …

(a) It is the duty of any person designated and acting as a ringmaster of any horse show or similar event to disqualify any horse determined by the ringmaster to be suffering from the causes set out in § 39-14-202(a)(5) from further participation in the show, and to make a report…

(a) The agents of any society which is incorporated for the prevention of cruelty to animals, upon being appointed thereto by the president of such a society in any county, may, within that county, make arrests, and bring before any court thereof offenders found violating this pa…

(a) No entry onto the property of another, arrest, interference with usual and customary agricultural or veterinary practices, confiscation, or any other action authorized by this part or any other law shall be taken in response to an allegation that this part has been violated w…

(a) A person commits aggravated cruelty to animals when, with no justifiable purpose, the person intentionally or knowingly:(1) Kills, maims, tortures, crushes, burns, drowns, suffocates, mutilates, starves, or otherwise causes serious physical injury, a substantial risk of death…

(a) A person who removes from a dog an electronic or radio transmitting collar or microchip implant without the permission of the owner of the dog and with the intent to prevent or hinder the owner from locating the dog commits a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by fine only; prov…

(a) A person commits an offense who knowingly:(1) Engages in any sexual activity with an animal;(2) Causes, aids, or abets another person to engage in any sexual activity with an animal;(3) Permits any sexual activity with an animal to be conducted on any premises under the perso…

(a) For purposes of this section:(1) “Animal control agency” means a county or municipal animal shelter, dog pound, or animal control agency, private humane society, state, county or municipal law enforcement agency, or any combination thereof, that temporarily houses stray, unwa…

(a) (1) As used in this section, “service animal” means:(A) Any animal that is individually trained, or being trained by an employee or puppy raiser from a recognized training agency or school to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, includi…

(a) As used in this section only, “livestock” means all equine as well as animals which are being raised primarily for use as food or fiber for human utilization or consumption, including, but not limited to, cattle, sheep, swine, and goats. (b) Except as provided in subsections …

(a) As used in this section, “cremation” means the heating process by which the remains of a deceased animal are reduced to bone fragments through combustion and evaporation; provided, however, that “cremation” does not include any reduction of animal remains to bone fragments th…

(a) It is an offense to knowingly and unlawfully cause serious bodily injury to or kill a police dog, fire dog, search and rescue dog, service animal, or police horse without the owner's effective consent. (b) (1) An offense under subsection (a) is a Class D felony.(2) If conduct…

(a) A person commits an offense who knowingly damages any structure or farm equipment by means of a fire or explosion:(1) Without the consent of all persons who have a possessory, proprietary or security interest therein; or(2) With intent to destroy or damage any structure to co…

(a) A person commits aggravated arson who commits arson as defined in § 39-14-301 or § 39-14-303:(1) When one (1) or more persons are present therein; or(2) When any person, including firefighters and law enforcement officials, suffers serious bodily injury as a result of the fir…

(a) A person commits arson who knowingly damages any personal property, land, or other property, except buildings or structures covered under § 39-14-301, by means of a fire or explosion:(1) Without the consent of all persons who have a possessory or proprietary interest therein;…

(a) A person commits reckless burning who:(1) Recklessly starts a fire on the land, building, structure or personal property of another;(2) Starts a fire on the person's own land, building, structure or personal property and recklessly allows the fire to escape and burn the prope…

(a) It is unlawful for any person who originates or uses an open fire to leave that fire unattended without totally extinguishing the same within one hundred fifty feet (150′) of forest or woodlands or within one hundred fifty feet (150′) of other inflammable material, the settin…

(a) (1) It is unlawful for any person to start an open-air fire between October 15 and May 15, inclusive, within five hundred feet (500′) of any forest, grasslands or woodlands without first securing a permit from the state forester or the state forester's duly authorized represe…

All vehicles or property used by the sole owner in the commission of an offense under § 39-14-301, § 39-14-302, § 39-14-303 or § 39-14-304, and anything of value received as compensation for the commission of the offense are subject to forfeiture.

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Habitation”:(A) Means any structure, including buildings, module units, mobile homes, trailers, and tents, which is designed or adapted for the overnight accommodation of persons;(B) Includes a self-propelled ve…

(a) A person commits criminal trespass if the person enters or remains on property, or any portion of property, without the consent of the owner. Consent may be inferred in the case of property that is used for commercial activity available to the general public or in the case of…

(a) A person commits aggravated criminal trespass who enters or remains on property when:(1) The person knows the person does not have the property owner's effective consent to do so; and(2) The person intends, knows, or is reckless about whether such person's presence will cause…

(a) Any person who drives, parks, stands, or otherwise operates a motor vehicle on, through or within a parking area, driving area or roadway located on privately owned property which is provided for use by patrons, customers or employees of business establishments upon that prop…

(a) For purposes of this section:(1) “Damage” includes, but is not limited to:(A) Destroying, polluting, or contaminating property;(B) Tampering with property and causing pecuniary loss or substantial inconvenience to the owner or a third person;(C) Intentionally spilling, pourin…

None of this part shall be construed in any way to affect the right of eminent domain or prevent surveyors or civil engineers from making such surveys as are necessary and lawful in the discharge of their duties.

(a) It is the duty of any sawmill owner or operator or other person purchasing timber in the form of logs, dye wood, cord wood, hickory blocks, stave blocks, hoop poles, cross ties, shrubbery or any other kind of timber from the lands sold to the state for taxes or other state-ow…

(a) A person commits the offense of critical infrastructure vandalism who knowingly:(1) Interrupts or interferes with critical infrastructure or its operation;(2) Destroys or injures critical infrastructure;(3) Uses, alters, encrypts, ransoms, destroys, or otherwise renders unava…

(a) It is an offense for any person to knowingly damage, destroy, remove or otherwise tamper with a residential mailbox or other container such person knows or reasonably should know is used for the receipt or deposit of United States mail. Any person convicted of violating this …

(a) It is an offense for a person to intentionally throw, hurl or project a stone or other hard substance, or shoot a missile, at a train, locomotive, railway car, caboose, street railway car, bus, motorcycle, steam vessel or other watercraft used for carrying passengers or freig…

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the “Equal Access to Public Property Act of 2012.” (b) As used in this section, “camping” means:(1) Any of the following at any time between ten o'clock p.m. (10:00 p.m.) and seven o'clock a.m. (7:00 a.m.):(A) Erecting, placing,…

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Commercial purpose” means litter discarded by a business, corporation, association, partnership, sole proprietorship, or any other entity conducting business for economic gain, or by an employee or agent of the …

(a) A person commits littering who:(1) Knowingly places, drops or throws litter on any public or private property without permission and does not immediately remove it;(2) Negligently places or throws glass or other dangerous substances on or adjacent to water to which the public…

(a) Mitigated criminal littering is littering in an amount less than or equal to five pounds (5 lbs.) in weight or seven and one-half (7.5) cubic feet in volume. (b) Mitigated criminal littering is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500) and as p…

(a) Criminal littering is littering in an amount more than five pounds (5 lbs.) in weight or seven and one-half (7.5) cubic feet in volume and less than or equal to ten pounds (10 lbs.) in weight or fifteen (15) cubic feet in volume. (b) Criminal littering is a Class B misdemeano…

(a) Aggravated criminal littering is littering:(1) In an amount exceeding ten pounds (10 lbs.) in weight or fifteen (15) cubic feet in volume; or(2) In any amount for any commercial purpose, including knowingly placing, dropping, or throwing two (2) or more tires on any public or…

In addition to the penalties established in this part, the court may, in its discretion, require a person convicted under this part to remove any substance listed under § 39-14-501 that was dropped, placed or discharged by the person and restore the property or waters damaged by …

(a) (1) Any motor vehicle that transports litter or any material likely to fall or be blown off onto the highways, shall be required to have such material either in an enclosed space or fully covered by a tarpaulin.(2) (A) If the motor vehicle is a noncommercial, not-for-hire pic…

(a) (1) County legislative bodies may, by resolution, impose regulations for litter control, including the placing, dropping, throwing, collection and storage of garbage, litter, refuse and rubbish on public or private property. The definitions of commercial purposes, garbage, li…

All law enforcement agencies, officers, and officials of this state or any political subdivision of this state, or any enforcement agency, officer, or any official of any commission or authority of this state or any political subdivision of this state is authorized, empowered, an…

(a) All proceeds from the fines imposed by this part shall be deposited in the general fund of the county where the offense occurred and designated for county operating costs with preference given to litter prevention programs and education such as those conducted by Keep America…

In counties with an environmental court designated pursuant to chapter 426 of the Public Acts of 1991, the courts shall exercise exclusive general sessions jurisdiction, over this part, pursuant to title 40.

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Access” means to approach, instruct, communicate, or connect with, store data in, retrieve or intercept data from, or otherwise make use of any resources of a computer, computer system, or computer network, or i…

(a) (1) It is an offense to:(A) Knowingly, directly, or indirectly access, cause to be accessed, or attempt to access any telephone system, telecommunications facility, computer software, computer program, data, computer, computer system, computer network, or any part thereof, fo…

(a) It is an offense for a person without authority to falsify or forge electronic mail transmission information or other routing information in any manner in connection with the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail through or into the computer network of an electroni…