§ 13A-7-1 — Definitions

Alabama § 13A-7-1

• Jurisdiction: Alabama
• Title 13A: Criminal Code
• Ch. 7: Offenses Involving Damage to and Intrusion Upon Property
• Art. 1: Burglary and Criminal Trespass

Text

The following definitions are applicable to this article:
(1) BUILDING. Any structure which may be entered and utilized by persons for business, public use, lodging or the storage of goods, and such term includes any vehicle, aircraft or watercraft used for the lodging of persons or carrying on business therein, and such term includes any railroad box car or other rail equipment or trailer or tractor trailer or combination thereof. Where a building consists of two or more units separately occupied or secure, each shall be deemed both a separate building and a part of the main building.
(2) DWELLING. A building which is used or normally used by a person for sleeping, living or lodging therein.
(3) ENTER OR REMAIN UNLAWFULLY. A person “enters or remains unlawfully” in or upon premises when he is not licensed, invited or privileged to do so. A person who, regardless of his intent, enters or remains in or upon premises which are at the time open to the public does so with license and privilege unless he defies a lawful order not to enter or remain, personally communicated to him by the owner of such premises or other authorized person. A license or privilege to enter or remain in a building which is partly open to the public is not a license or privilege to enter or remain in that part of the building which is not open to the public. A person who enters or remains upon unimproved and apparently unused land, which is neither fenced nor otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders, does so with license and privileges unless notice against trespass is personally communicated to him by the owner of such land or other authorized person, or unless such notice is given by posting in a conspicuous manner.
(4) POSTING IN A CONSPICUOUS MANNER. A sign or signs posted on the property, reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders, indicating that entry is forbidden or the placement of identifying purple paint marks on trees or posts on the property, provided that the marks satisfy all of the following:
a. Are vertical lines of not less than eight inches in length and not less than one inch in width.
b. Are placed so that the bottom of the mark is not less than three feet from the ground or more than five feet from the ground.
c. Are placed at locations that are readily visible to any person approaching the property and are no more than 100 feet apart on forest land or 1,000 feet apart on land other than forest land.
(5) PREMISES. Such term includes any “building,” as herein defined, and any real property.

Legislative History

(Acts 1977, No. 607, p. 812, §2601; Acts 1983, No. 83-742, p. 1222; Act 2016-402, §1.)