Home / Code Sections / § 18.2-119 — Trespassing

§ 18.2-119 — Trespassing

Court outcome data from 12,566 cases across 125 jurisdictions · 2025

Source. Virginia District + Circuit Court Information Systems, 2025 Methodology Report a correction Last refreshed July 8, 2026

Of 12,566 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-119, 10,750 reached an outcome — 53.5% were dismissed or dropped and 42.3% resulted in conviction, across 125 Virginia jurisdictions.

This page provides statistics from public court records for informational purposes only. This is not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed Virginia attorney.

Penalties Under § 18.2-119

Section 18.2-119 addresses trespassing in Virginia — going on or remaining on another's property after being forbidden to do so orally, in writing, by posted signs, or by court order. Trespassing under this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor carrying up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Of 12,566 § 18.2-119 cases filed in 2025 across 125 Virginia jurisdictions, 10,750 reached an outcome — an average dismissal rate of 53.5% and an average conviction rate of 42.3%.

Court Outcomes Across Virginia

Across 125 Virginia jurisdictions (2025):

12,566
Total Cases
53.5%
Avg Dismissal Rate
42.3%
Avg Conviction Rate

Top Jurisdictions

Courts with the most cases related to this statute.

Jurisdiction Cases Dismissal Rate Conviction Rate Median Duration
Fairfax County 1,473 68.6% 31.4% 2.9 months
Norfolk 798 62.9% 37.1% 2.4 months
Prince William County 647 56.5% 43.5% 3.2 months
Newport News 559 64.7% 35.3% 3.4 months
Virginia Beach 498 45.9% 54.1% 2.5 months
Richmond City 461 62.4% 37.6% 3.1 months
Roanoke City 443 33.1% 66.9% 1.2 months
Henrico County 422 47.3% 52.7% 2.9 months
Portsmouth 417 75.2% 24.8% 2.2 months
Hampton 356 52.9% 47.1% 2.1 months
Chesterfield County 326 61.7% 38.3% 3.2 months
Arlington County 320 75.8% 24.2% 2.4 months
Lynchburg 272 44.4% 55.6% 3.2 months
Rockingham County 250 29.8% 70.2% 2.6 months
Chesapeake 198 62.9% 37.1% 2.2 months

Source: Virginia public court records, 2025 — VirginiaCourtFile.com

Explore Full Data

Trespassing — All Jurisdictions
10,750 resolved of 12,566 filed · 53.5% dismissed
Trespassing Guide
What the court data shows →

Common Questions

Of 12,566 cases filed in 2025 under § 18.2-119, 10,750 reached an outcome: an average dismissal rate of 53.5% and a conviction rate of 42.3% across 125 Virginia jurisdictions. Outcomes vary by court — view all jurisdictions for detailed data.
12,566 cases under § 18.2-119 were filed across 125 Virginia jurisdictions in 2025. For information about the current text and penalties of this statute, consult the Code of Virginia.

What's Next

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