Security News > 2022 > December > Hacking Trespass Law

This article talks about public land in the US that is completely surrounded by private land, which in some cases makes it inaccessible to the public.

Ever since the Westward Expansion, much of the Western United States has been divided into alternating squares of public and private land.

Corner-crossers, like checker pieces, literally step from one public square to another in diagonal fashion, avoiding trespassing charges.

It's an interesting ambiguity in the law: does checker trespass on white squares when it moves diagonally over black squares? But, of course, the legal battle isn't really about that.

It's about the rights of property owners vs the rights of those who wish to walk on this otherwise-inaccessible public land.

State court, I think, which means the answer might be different in different states.

News URL

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2022/12/hacking-trespass-law.html