Miami-Dade Clarifies Rules on Picking Neighbor's Mangoes

Miami‑Dade County ordinance prohibits taking, removing, or damaging plants, fruits, or nursery products from any private or public property without the owner's consent. Violators can face a $200 civil fine and, if trespassing is involved, criminal charges punishable by up to 60 days in jail, according to the County Sheriff's Office.

Legal experts note a nuance when tree branches overhang a neighbor's yard. The 1987 case Gallo v. Heller gave neighbors the right to prune vegetation that encroaches on their property, and some attorneys argue that fruit harvested from a pruned branch may be kept. The sheriff's office, however, maintains that fruit belongs to the tree's owner until it falls. Specialists add that fruit that lands on a neighbor's yard or sidewalk is considered the neighbor's property.