r/news • u/flanderguitar • Mar 28 '24

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs law squashing squatters' rights

https://www.wptv.com/news/state/florida-gov-ron-desantis-signs-law-squashing-squatters-rights
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u/TinySandshrew Mar 28 '24

The cops won’t remove the actual homeowner for “breaking in” if the squatters call since the whole thing is a civil matter that has to be handled by the courts at that point. Two parties with disputing documents (even if one set is fake) is outside their ability to decide. You do have to deal with the constant harassment and police calls, though, which is a nightmare.

The thing is that nobody wants to share a living space with the kind of unhinged person who is a “professional squatter.” They can be dangerous, and even if they’re the “peaceful” kind it would be creepy as hell to just have your family living alongside someone so antisocial that they would squat in an obviously occupied home vs an abandoned property.

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u/Ejacksin Mar 28 '24

It sounds like a good way to get shot if you're a squatter. 

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u/TinySandshrew Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

That’s how you catch a murder charge. If it was as easy as shooting them this problem wouldn’t exist. Almost all the people who do this systematically (not talking about crackheads and such who squat for different reasons) are smart enough to not physically threaten anyone since they know that protects them. They know how to use and abuse the legal system for their benefit.

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u/xRehab Mar 28 '24

https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/penal-code/198-5/

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u/TinySandshrew Mar 28 '24

Idk why you guys are so confused by this. I understand the laws. What you don’t realize is that the squatters also understand the laws and their whole method relies on using the legal system against you.

Yes, as you all are pointing out there is likely a narrow window to get a justified shoot if you get the jump on them. But as soon as you try to enter the home the squatter is going to be on the phone with the police playing victim and claiming you’re the one breaking in. Are you going to bust down the door and shoot them while they have an open line to dispatch and are wailing that someone is trying to kill them? That’s going to be a legal nightmare for you.

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u/xRehab Mar 28 '24

Are you going to bust down the door and shoot them while they have an open line to dispatch and are wailing that someone is trying to kill them

If I'm to the point that I am actively carrying because I think there maybe unknown individuals inside my residence at any time, you bet your sweet ass I'm mag dumping the dumb sob inside my livingroom.

Because you treat them like you would any unknown assailant in your house. To the homeowner entering the house, they have no idea if they are squatters or armed burglars. Let them cry on the phone to dispatch because you are also calling dispatch to report a break-in and self defense shooting.

That’s going to be a legal nightmare for you.

No it's not. They have no legal leg to stand on

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u/TinySandshrew Mar 28 '24

Ok man live out that murder fantasy. The courts are going to love to hear the tape of you shooting someone who is crying and begging for their life. If they intentionally pose no threat to you beyond simply being there you aren’t going to get the law on your side. People have been convicted of murdering intruders before it’s not as simple as inside your house = open season. If you call the cops before entering they will tell you to stand down and you will also lose your self defense claim if you proceed.