Trespass - Definition and Overview

In law, trespass can be:

1. the criminal act of going into somebody else’s land or property without permission;
2. it is also a civil law tort that may be a valid cause of action to seek judicial relief and possibly damages through a lawsuit.

In some jurisdictions trespassing is an offense or misdemeanor covered by a criminal code. In other jurisdictions, it is not considered a crime or penal in nature, property is protected from trespass under civil law and privacy acts. In England and Wales, unless the trespass is aggravated in some way, it will only be a civil wrong.

See also right-of-way.

The term is also used for a transgression in general, also in the Lord's Prayer.