The Tree On The Line
RCW 64.12.030 — treble damages for cutting a tree on another's land without lawful authority
In Washington, when a person cuts down, girdles, injures or carries off a tree, timber or shrub on another's land, or on the street in front of a house or lot, without lawful authority, any judgment for the owner is for treble the amount of damages.
Single damages instead. If the trespass was casual or involuntary, or the defendant had probable cause to believe the land was their own, judgment is for single damages only.
Trimming branches that hang over a line, and who owns a tree on the line itself, come from Washington court decisions this page does not quote. Whether a particular cutting was without authority, and what it was worth, are questions for a licensed Washington attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- RCW 64.12.030 — Injury to or removing trees; damages
- RCW 64.12.040 — Mitigating circumstances; damages
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.