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§ 6-409. Refusal or failure to leave public building or grounds

West's Annotated Code of MarylandCriminal Law

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Criminal Law (Refs & Annos)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 4. Trespass
MD Code, Criminal Law, § 6-409
Formerly cited as MD CODE Art. 27, § 578
§ 6-409. Refusal or failure to leave public building or grounds
Currentness
Prohibited--During regularly closed hours
(a) A person may not refuse or fail to leave a public building or grounds, or a specific part of a public building or grounds, during the time when the public building or grounds, or specific part of the public building or grounds, is regularly closed to the public if:
(1) the surrounding circumstances would indicate to a reasonable person that the person who refuses or fails to leave has no apparent lawful business to pursue at the public building or grounds; and
(2) a regularly employed guard, watchman, or other authorized employee of the government unit that owns, operates, or maintains the public building or grounds asks the person to leave.
Prohibited--During regular business hours
(b) A person may not refuse or fail to leave a public building or grounds, or a specific part of a public building or grounds, during regular business hours if:
(1) the surrounding circumstances would indicate to a reasonable person that the person who refuses or fails to leave:
(i) has no apparent lawful business to pursue at the public building or grounds; or
(ii) is acting in a manner disruptive of and disturbing to the conduct of normal business by the government unit that owns, operates, or maintains the public building or grounds; and
(2) an authorized employee of the government unit asks the person to leave.
Penalty
(c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.

Credits

Added by Acts 2002, c. 26, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2002.
Formerly Art. 27, § 578.
MD Code, Criminal Law, § 6-409, MD CRIM LAW § 6-409
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
End of Document