The Tree On The Line
MCL 600.2919 — 3 times the actual damages, unless the trespass was casual and involuntary
In Michigan, a person who cuts down or carries off wood, trees or timber, or despoils or injures trees, on another's land is liable to the owner for 3 times the amount of actual damages.
| The cutter | Damages |
|---|---|
| The cutterCuts or injures trees on another's land | Damages3 times the actual damages |
| The cutterThe trespass was casual and involuntary, or the cutter had probable cause to believe the land was the cutter's own | DamagesSingle damages only |
Trimming branches that hang over a line, and who owns a tree on the line itself, come from Michigan court decisions this page does not quote. Whether a particular cutting was without authority, and what it was worth, are questions for a licensed Michigan attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 600.2919 — Damage or waste to land; treble damages
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.