{"data":{"id":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-61-5-31","jurisdiction":"us-wv","citation":"W. Va. Code § 61-5-31","heading":"Bystanders shall stand 30 feet back from first responders engaged in the lawful performance of their duties.","body":"(a) As used in this section, the term:\n\"First responder\" includes a law-enforcement officer as defined in §30-29-1 of this code, a probation officer as described in §62-12-6 of this code, or a firefighter or emergency responder as defined in §5H-1-2 of this code.\n(b) It is unlawful for a person, after receiving a verbal warning to not approach from a person he or she knows or reasonably should know is a first responder, who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach or remain within 30 feet of the first responder acting in a way to:\n(1) Impede or interfere with the first responder's ability to perform such duty; or\n(2) Threaten or menace the first responder with physical harm.\n(c) A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500 or confined in jail not more than one year, or both fined and confined.","path":["CHAPTER 61. CRIMES AND THEIR PUNISHMENT.","ARTICLE 5. CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC JUSTICE."],"source_url":"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/61-5-31/","current_through":"as of 2026-08-03; contains at least the enactments of the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T00:31:25Z","sha256":"6a61f388ba4c6ab5f07bffb4d8455fe71dc0cdc003befd126e8d19708c833009","source_id":"us-wv","stale":true,"prev":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-61-5-30","next":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-61-5a-1"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}