An injury to property consists in depriving its owner of the benefit of it, which is done by taking, withholding, deteriorating, or destroying it.
§ 28.Injuries to property
Preliminary Provisions · Enacted 1872 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 28 defines an injury to property as depriving its owner of the benefit of it through taking, withholding, deteriorating, or destroying it.
Full Text of § 28
Plain-English Summary
Section 28 defines the property side of the injury split Section 27 created.
An injury to property happens whenever someone deprives its owner of the benefit of that property — whether by taking it, withholding it, letting it deteriorate, or destroying it outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as an injury to property under California law?
Section 28 defines it as depriving the owner of the benefit of the property, whether by taking, withholding, deteriorating, or destroying it.
Does an injury to property require physical destruction?
No. Section 28 also covers taking or withholding property, or letting it deteriorate, not just destroying it.
Amendment History
Enacted 1872.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: definition of injury to property CaliforniaCCP section 28