How can one legally respond to trespassing on their property?

Responding to trespassing involves understanding both legal rights and effective strategies to protect one’s property. The correct approach is to document the event and contact authorities. This action serves multiple purposes: it creates a record of the incident, which can be important for legal reasons or future incidents, and it ensures that law enforcement, who are trained to handle such situations, can intervene appropriately.

Documenting the trespass means taking notes of the time, date, and any relevant details about the trespasser, which can be useful for authorities or in case you need to take further legal action. By reaching out to authorities, you are following a lawful process that can help de-escalate the situation and mitigate the risk of confrontation, which can potentially lead to harm or legal repercussions for taking matters into your own hands.

Choosing to ignore the trespassing does not address the situation and might allow it to escalate, while confronting the trespasser directly can be dangerous and legally questionable. Forcibly removing someone from your property could lead to legal charges against you, especially if force is involved. Thus, the safest and most legally sound course of action is to document the incident and seek help from the authorities.