To answer the question of whether egging a house is illegal or not, it is important to define and understand what egging is. As the term itself, egging is self-explanatory and involves throwing eggs at other people, cars or property. Teenagers are mostly known for this kind of behavior. The eggs in most cases are raw though in some rare cases where intentional damage is required hard boiled eggs can be used. Some cases of house egging can even involve rotten eggs. Eggs have the potential to cause harm to people or property for whatever reason the egging was done. There are penalties that come with this act of egging but they vary depending on the gravity of the matter. Everyone is discouraged from participating in this kind of behavior and parents are required to ensure they educate and discourage their kids from doing these kind of offenses.
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Impact of Egging a House
There are many effects that comes with egging of a house. For egging cases where raw eggs were used, there is a potential for damage to windows and other glass materials on the house and the same goes for hard boiled eggs. Raw eggs also can make house walls dirt leaving the owner with the burden of cleaning the walls. This has potential to cause damage to the paint on the house. House owner will probably need to buy another paint to repaint the section where the contamination was done. Additionally, egging a house may leave behind dirt which requires cleaning and an unpleasant smell. All these are the effects of egging on someone’s house which is considered an offense under various legal statutes.
Legal Statute on Egging a House
There are no specific legal statutes that makes egging a house illegal. However, there are other broad statutes that covers egging of a house and make it a criminal offense to egg a house. These are the statutes that governs the act of egging a house. Under these statutes various penalties are attached depending on various considerations. There are two broad categories where house egging falls and is considered illegal under the two categories. These two are vandalism and trespassing as defined under California law and Florida Statutes. Various statues are available to address these issues and they are readily available as soft copies on the internet. Various state offices may also provide hard copies on these legal statutes.
Egging a House as Vandalism
California law defines vandalism as maliciously defacing property with graffiti or other written material or maliciously damaging property or maliciously destroying property. From the definition, there are three conditions that makes egging a house illegal. The three are malicious defacing of property, house inclusive, malicious damage to property and house inclusive again and lastly malicious destroying of property and house inclusive. When eggs are thrown at house, definitely the house is stained or defaced and this is vandalism under the first requirement in the California law definition of vandalism. It is therefore illegal to egg a house considering the first requirement. Secondly under vandalism, there must be property damage and if egging a house resulted in property damage like cracking of windows this is defined as vandalism and the offender is liable for punishment. Thirdly vandalism is validated by malicious property damage. If egging of house results in property destruction like breaking of windows and screen sections, lights and other parts of the house this is illegal and considered vandalism. It is important for everyone to understand the effects of throwing an egg automatically satisfies either any or all of the conditions above and makes it an offense.
Egging a House as Trespassing
There are also different cases where egging a house is also considered illegal. Suppose in the act of egging a house the offender gains access or enters someone’s property without permission to perform the act the person may be charged with trespassing. Trespassing refers to a case where one enters another person’s property without their permission and interfere with the person’s rights. This is the most obvious charge regardless of whether damage to property was done or not. Trespassing is regarded an offense and therefore under this condition the person is charged with trespassing. The case is different when someone throws the eggs outside the property of a person. Florida statutes also states that a person commits the offense of criminal mischief whenever there is a willingness in maliciously injury or damage of any form and by any means to personal property. Under this statute it is clear that egging a house is an illegal act and any person committing this offense shall be liable for punishment as dictated by the statutes.
Charges of Egging a House
There are different charges attached to the act of egging a house. The charges vary due to different scenarios with which the offense was committed. Florida statutes provides a guideline for the charges to such offenses. For instance in cases where the damage to such property is $200 or less, it is considered a misdemeanor of the second degree which is punishable as provided in applicable sections. The same also applies for damage to such property is greater than $200 but less than $1,000, it is considered a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in applicable section. The full statutes are available online for further reference to these offenses and charges. Some considerations are also taken into account if the offense was committed by a minor and applicable sections applied appropriately. There are options for fines when one commits this offense.
Conclusion
From the discussion above, it is clear that egging a house is illegal under almost all the different circumstances as dictated by various statutes. It is also not a good moral principle to egg someone’s house for whatever reason. The parents always have to make sure they discourage their kids from such kind of behavior. It is beneficial for a person should be familiar with these laws and above all be guided by good moral principles towards other persons.