The Tree On The Line
42 Pa.C.S. 8311 — three times the timber's value if deliberate, two times if negligent
In Pennsylvania, a person who cuts or removes another's timber without consent is liable, in place of all other damages, for the cost of valuing the timber and of erosion control compliance, the cost of any surveys for the case, and a multiple of the timber's market value.
| The cutting was | The multiple |
|---|---|
| The cutting wasDeliberate | The multipleThree times the market value |
| The cutting wasNegligent | The multipleTwo times the market value |
| The cutting wasA reasonable basis for believing the land was the cutter's own | The multipleThe market value |
What counts as timber. Standing trees, logs or parts of trees commonly sold as wood products.
Trimming branches that hang over a line, and who owns a tree on the line itself, come from Pennsylvania court decisions this page does not quote. Whether a particular cutting was without authority, and what it was worth, are questions for a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- 42 Pa.C.S. 8311 — Damages in actions for conversion of timber
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.