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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>369823</law_id><section_number>55.1-2835</section_number><catch_line>Damages recoverable for timber cutting</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>55.1-2836</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="120" identifier="55.1">Property and Conveyances</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="5" identifier="V">Miscellaneous</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="5" identifier="28">Trespasses; Fences</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="8" identifier="8">Cutting Timber</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If any person, firm, or corporation encroaches and cuts timber, except when acting prudently and under bona fide claim of right, the owner of such timber shall, in addition to all other remedies afforded by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, have the benefit of a right to, and a summary remedy for recovery of, <span class="dictionary">damages</span> in an amount as specified in this article and recovered as provided for in this article.</p><p>If the trespass is proven, the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> shall have the burden of proving that he acted prudently and under a bona fide claim of right.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 8-906; 1952, c. 658; 1968, c. 251; 1977, c. 624, &#xA7; 55-331; 1993, c. 580; 2004, cc. 604, 615; 2019, c. 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
