California · Penal Code

PEN §594.37: (a) It is unlawful, except upon private property, for a person to engage in picketing targeted at a funeral during the time period beginning one hour prior to the funeral and ending one hour after the

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

It is unlawful to picket at a funeral within one hour before or after it concludes, except on private property. Violation is punishable by up to $1,000 fine, up to six months in county jail, or both.

Read the full statutory text
(a) It is unlawful, except upon private property, for a person to engage in picketing targeted at a funeral during the time period beginning one hour prior to the funeral and ending one hour after the conclusion of the funeral. (b) Any violation of subdivision (a) is punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment. (c) For purposes of this section: (1) “Funeral” means the ceremony or memorial service held in connection with the burial or cremation of a deceased person. “Funeral” does not mean any nonburial or noncremation activities, businesses, or services. (2) “Picketing,” for purposes of this section only, means protest activities engaged in by any person within 300 feet of a burial site, mortuary, or place of worship. (3) “Protest activities” includes oration, speech, use of sound amplification equipment in a manner that is intended to make or makes speech, including, but not limited to, oration audible to participants in a funeral, or similar conduct that is not part of the funeral, before an assembled group of people. (4) “Targeted at” means directed at or toward the deceased person or the attendees of a funeral. (d) The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.