California Private Property Laws

The theory of private property is a social and political principle allowing individuals to acquire, hold and trade in property that is not owned by another person.

Vehicles

Under the California Civil Code, section 1351, the owner of a piece of private property may remove a parked vehicle from his property to a storage facility. The owner of the property must display a 17-by-22-inch sign prohibiting parking, which contains information such as the telephone number of a local traffic law enforcement agency.

Images

Private property in California is protected by an anti-paparazzi statute prohibiting an individual entering a property to obtain visual images of a personal or family setting. Visual images are defined as including photographs and sound recordings.

Assembly

California law includes the right of individuals to gather on private property owned by a business, such as a mall, to stage a protest. The California Supreme Court upholds the right to gather under free speech laws guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

References

• California Department of Motor Vehicles: Removal From Private Property
• Citizen Media Law Project: California Intrusion Law
• First Amendment Center: Assembly on Private Property
• Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: The Right to Private Property