Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1857 Fences Destroyed; Livestock Entering
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 91 — PUBLIC LANDS › § 1857
Summary
You can be fined under federal law, jailed for up to one year, or both if you knowingly and illegally break open or destroy any gate, fence, hedge, or wall around U.S. lands that were set aside or bought for public use. The same penalty applies if you drive livestock onto those lands to damage grass, trees, or other property, or if you let your animals enter where they might cause such damage. It does not cover unreserved public lands.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1857
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever knowingly and unlawfully breaks, opens, or destroys any gate, fence, hedge, or wall inclosing any lands of the United States reserved or purchased for any public use; or Whoever drives any cattle, horses, hogs, or other livestock upon any such lands for the purposes of destroying the grass or trees on said lands, or where they may destroy the said grass or trees; or Whoever knowingly permits his cattle, horses, hogs, or other livestock to enter through any such inclosure upon any such lands of the United States, where such cattle, horses, hogs, or other livestock may or can destroy the grass or trees or other property of the United States on the said lands— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. This section shall not apply to unreserved public lands.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 111 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 56, 35 Stat. 1099). Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500” in fourth par.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1857
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102