Alabama Pardon and Expungements BlogAlabama’s Criminal Laws — Criminal Trespass and Burglary
The crimes of trespass and burglary may seem similar, but there are several differences between the two crimes and between the different degrees within the crimes.
There are four ways in which a person may be charged of criminal trespass: first degree, second degree, third degree, and by motor vehicle. The difference in the charge depends on what the person is accused of trespassing on. First degree involves where someone lives (house or apartment), second degree involves a structure that is designed to keep someone out (a fenced in yard or other type of building where people don’t live), third degree involves somewhere where you know you don’t have a right to be, but isn’t designed to keep you out (a neighbors yard without a fence and you know it is not your property).