The Tree On The Line
S.C. Code 16-11-520 — wilfully cutting another's tree or fence, a misdemeanor up to two thousand dollars of damage and a felony above
It is unlawful to wilfully and maliciously cut, mutilate, deface or otherwise injure a tree, house, outside fence or fixture belonging to someone else, or to commit any other trespass on another person's land.
- Damage of $2,000 or less: a misdemeanor in magistrates or municipal court, up to $1,000 or thirty days.
- More than $2,000 but less than $10,000: a felony, up to five years.
- $10,000 or more: a felony, up to ten years.
Those are the penalties, set by the value of the damage. The section reaches wilful and malicious acts; a good faith dispute over where the line runs is a civil matter, settled by a survey and, if need be, a court. A particular case is a question for a licensed South Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- S.C. Code 16-11-520 — Malicious injury to tree, house, outside fence, or fixture; trespass upon real property
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed South Carolina attorney.