anyone ever had a trespassing on church property or school after dark?

[RGINN]

I get what you mean bigfoot1 and it's a good tactic. I have a lot of experience with the courts, and if you get their attention and p*ss them off well yeah they might suddenly come up with a whole lot of money and attention for your case. This is a very minor offense by someone with no prior offenses and in my professional opinion he should never have been cited. The court may or may not have sense enough to recognize that. I'm assuming this is a state charge. If I was OUTCOME1, I would make a trip to the courthouse and visit with the DA. Due to the nature of the offense he might be able to to work something out beforehand and never even have to appear. I have 25 years experience with the legal system and they will follow the path of least resistance.

 

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[fireford10]

wow. I had a similar experience where im from. ive only been detecting for a month now, but I do a lot of night detecting, i have kids ,work 24hr shifts for FD, and lay tile during the day....so night is my best time for personal stuff. Iv been hitting a local park after dark often, its right beside a pretty busy hwy and the only thing the sign says is that it closes at 11pm. Well, i dont want to go too regularly because i dont want to draw any attention from people up to no good (target for robbery mainly, even though i open carry when i do this). So i decided to leave the gun at home and go to an old school insted. Within 5 minutes a security guard showed up (not the police unfortunatly because i work right beside them everyday since im on the FD i figured if i did get questioned theyd just laugh and ask if i found anything yet) and asked what i was doing, and why i was there at night. I introduced myself, and ex[lained that night was a good time for me to get out. He told me i had to leave, but i informed him it was public property and considered my detecting legal. He said its fine.....just not after dark. He said i could come back anytime during the day (not during school hours) and dig away. So my experience was rather a plesant one. Youve got to understand though that a lot of schools get vandalized by kids or rival schools at night, so i understood his concern, although i was still pissed because i had just had a great signal that i was about to dig. lol. Ive sent emails annonomously to the city I live in and my sister city across the river about this subject and any laws on the books, not publicaly known.......well thats been about a month with no response. So, I always ask if its private (which churches are), but if its a public place im fine with just swinging away until told to stop. Reality is, even if theres no law, or rules inplace they can always get you for destruction of city property. But theyd never win here because they let people park on grass and start fires during mardi gras...so i say dig away, and confront the issue when it arrises on PUBLIC groundsthat arent posted, or have any "park rules" signs. just my opinion.

 

[gleaner1]

That is an excellent law. Nothing wrong with that law. Nothing.

 

[Mzjavert]

I've had your situation in the back of my mind for a couple of days. I decided to look up what a Class 3 misdemeanor would get you in VA. It's a $500 fine. LIS > Code of Virginia > 18.2-11

 

[foiler]

I really don't see the issue here. You where on private property without permission. Additionally, your town/city has a specific ordinance against the very activity you where engaged. You took a chance and lost, end of story. There are rules and the main one is permission to access private property is required. As to other properties public or otherwise that isnt posted, well I'm not in the habit of asking question to which I know the answer most likely will not be in my favor. As my daddy used to say, "don't ask a barber if you need a haircut". After all, whats life without a little chance.

 

[Rawhide]

You could always ask the baliff if you could do court telephonically because your tired from the night before detecting all those churches........or do creative dances with your detector on sunday on the road that leads to the church(naked). Of course the best thing to do is goto court and get it over with.

 

[Backbacon]

LOL.... Why would anyone do that in the first place Hey.... Let's all wait... Till the dead of night and go detecting us some Church grounds without any permission Y'all wouldn't be related to a F. Savage? Would ya

 

[OUTCOME1]

exactly, so see my second post on here

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Don't worry mate! Like I says not like you was hiding bodies! You be fine!

 

[relicmeister]

Will you have to pass through a metal detector on your way into court? lol
You'll be fine-good luck

 

[smokeythecat]

Nighttime. Not the best idea. Get a lawyer. It'll cost more if you don't. Lots of churches are getting broken into these days due to the economy more than likely, but lots of people don't like churches either (my church got broken into - three times in the last year, this last time they caught the guy red handed, he's going bye bye.)