West Virginia Code 61-3-6 – Willfully, unlawfully and maliciously setting fire on lands; penalty
If any person willfully, unlawfully and maliciously sets fire to any woods, fence, grass, straw or other thing capable of spreading fire on lands, he or she shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to the penitentiary for a definite term of imprisonment which is not less than one year nor more than five years or fined not to exceed $5,000, or both. He or she shall, moreover, be liable to any person injured thereby, or in consequence thereof, for double the amount of damages sustained by such person. A person imprisoned pursuant to this section is not eligible for parole prior to having served a minimum of one year of his or her sentence or the minimum period required by the provisions of section thirteen, article twelve, chapter sixty-two of this code, whichever is greater.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 61-3-6
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.