Pennsylvania § 3312 - Destruction of a survey monument.

§ 3312. Destruction of a survey monument.

(a) Offense defined.--

(1) A person commits a summary offense if he intentionally cuts, injures, damages, destroys, defaces or removes any survey monument or marker, other than a natural object such as a tree or stream.

(2) A person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if he willfully or maliciously cuts, injures, damages, destroys, defaces or removes any survey monument or marker in order to call into question a boundary line.

(b) Restitution.--Any person convicted of violating this section shall, in addition to any other penalty imposed, be liable for the cost of the reestablishment of permanent survey monuments or markers by a professional land surveyor and all reasonable attorney fees.

(c) Affirmative defense.--It is an affirmative defense to any prosecution for an offense under this section that the survey monument or marker was improperly placed by a professional land surveyor.

(d) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

"Professional land surveyor." As defined under the act of May 23, 1945 (P.L.913, No.367), known as the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law.

"Survey monument or marker." Any object adopted or placed by a professional land surveyor to define the boundaries of a property, including, but not limited to, natural objects such as trees or streams, or artificial monuments such as iron pins, concrete monuments, set stones or party walls. The phrase does not include a wooden stake placed by a professional land surveyor as a temporary marker or placeholder.

(July 7, 2006, P.L.348, No.72, eff. 60 days)

2006 Amendment. Act 72 added section 3312.