Is It Illegal To Play ‘Ding-Dong Ditch’ In Montana?

Pranks are as old as time. When people are young, there is a number of things we either see, or take part in.

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If you are unfamiliar with 'Ding-Dong Ditch', it's a prank that is somewhat harmless but not victimless prank where someone rings a doorbell of a residence and either runs away or hides in the proximity of the front door to witness the confusion of said resident when they are looking for a visitor that isn't there.

Some people laugh if they get duped, and others get frustrated when it happens because depending on the reaction, they can fall victim multiple times in an evening.

Like earlier, this isn't a victimless prank, but with as harmless as it may seem, Is 'Ding-Dong Ditch' illegal?

In Montana, there isn't a direct law that sates whether the prank is illegal or not, however there are laws one can break by just committing the prank by being on someones property.

One could argue the prank fall under Criminal Trespassing.

In the state of Montana according to Montana code 45-6-203 Criminal trespass to property.

It's defined as:

a person commits the offense of criminal trespass to property if the person knowingly:
(a) enters or remains unlawfully in an occupied structure; or
(b) enters or remains unlawfully in or upon the premises of another.

This can be articulated just by someone ringing the door bell. Charges can be pressed and fines are as such:

A person convicted of the offense of criminal trespass to property shall be fined not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for any term not to exceed 6 months, or both.

Maybe Think about a trespassing charge next time it's your turn to pull a prank.