Legal Definitions - deface

Deface

To deface something means to intentionally damage its surface or appearance, often in a way that diminishes its value, beauty, or original purpose. This can involve altering, marring, or disfiguring an object, document, or structure.

Here are some examples:

• Example 1: A group of vandals spray-paints large, colorful graffiti across the pristine stone facade of a newly constructed public library.
• Explanation: This action constitutes defacement because it intentionally mars the building's surface, detracting from its appearance and potentially requiring significant resources for cleaning and restoration.
• Example 2: An individual, frustrated with a legal document, deliberately tears out a crucial page and scribbles over the remaining text with a permanent marker, making it illegible.
• Explanation: By tearing and scribbling, the individual has defaced the written instrument, rendering its original content unclear or unusable and diminishing its legal integrity.
• Example 3: A collector intentionally scratches and bends a rare, uncirculated commemorative coin, significantly reducing its pristine condition and market value.
• Explanation: This act is an example of defacement because it physically damages the object, diminishing its original quality and monetary worth.