Legal Definitions - visible means of support

The term visible means of support refers to an observable and apparent way a person earns money, sustains themselves financially, or possesses resources to meet their basic needs. It signifies having a clear, demonstrable source of income or assets that allows an individual to live without relying on unlawful activities or becoming a public burden. Historically, this concept was often used in vagrancy laws to identify individuals who appeared to have no legitimate way of supporting themselves.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Employment Income

  Imagine a person who works full-time as a software engineer. They receive a regular salary, which is deposited into their bank account every two weeks. They can show pay stubs, employment contracts, and bank statements as evidence of their income. This individual clearly possesses a visible means of support through their steady employment and documented earnings.

• Example 2: Social Security Benefits

  Consider an elderly individual who is retired and receives monthly Social Security benefits. While they are not actively working, their government benefits provide a consistent and verifiable income stream. They can present official letters from the Social Security Administration and bank statements showing these regular deposits. In this scenario, the Social Security benefits constitute their visible means of support, demonstrating their ability to sustain themselves.

• Example 3: Property Ownership and Rental Income

  A person owns several rental properties and lives off the income generated from tenants' rent payments. They have lease agreements, property deeds, and bank records showing regular rental deposits. If questioned about their financial stability, they can readily demonstrate these assets and income streams. Their real estate holdings and the consistent rental income derived from them serve as their visible means of support, proving they have legitimate resources to live on.