PEN 538
California Code, PEN 538.
Statute versions
| Statute ID | Title | Version Date | Active | Source ID | Source URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEN:538 | California Code, PEN 538. | 2000-01-01 | Y | - | https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=538.&law... |
| PEN:538d | California Code, PEN 538d. | 2025-09-20 | Y | - | https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=538d.&la... |
Text
Penal Code - PEN 538. PART 1. OF CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS [25. - 680.4.] TITLE 13. OF CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY [450. - 593g.] CHAPTER 8. False Personation and Cheats [528. - 539.] Every person, who, after mortgaging any of the property permitted to be mortgaged by the provisions of Sections 9102 and 9109 of the Commercial Code, excepting locomotives, engines, rolling stock of a railroad, steamboat machinery in actual use, and vessels, during the existence of the mortgage, with intent to defraud the mortgagee, his or her representative or assigns, takes, drives, carries away, or otherwise removes or permits the taking, driving, or carrying away, or other removal of the mortgaged property, or any part thereof, from the county where it was situated when mortgaged, without the written consent of the mortgagee, or who sells, transfers, slaughters, destroys, or in any manner further encumbers the mortgaged property, or any part thereof, or causes it to be sold, transferred, slaughtered, destroyed, or further encumbered, is guilty of theft, and is punishable accordingly. In the case of a sale, transfer, or further encumbrance at or before the time of making the sale, transfer, or encumbrance, the mortgagor informs the person to whom the sale, transfer, or encumbrance is made, of the existence of the prior mortgage, and also informs the prior mortgagee of the intended sale, transfer, or encumbrance, in writing, by giving the name and place of residence of the party to whom the sale, transfer, or encumbrance is to be made. Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 991, Sec. 54. Effective January 1, 2000. Operative July 1, 2001, by Sec. 75 of Ch. 991.
Matching cases
| Case | Filed | Division / type | Status | Named litigant | Events | Charges | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRI-25026276 | 2025-12-04 | criminal | - | JOSHUA BARNARD | 51 | 16 | sfda_arrests · sfda_case_resolutions · sfda_prosecuted_cases |
| CRI-22012870 | 2022-10-28 | criminal | Dismissal Observed | NICHOLES DARNELL LEWIS | 84 | 7 | sfda_arrests · sfda_prosecuted_cases |
| CRI-22008307 | 2022-08-08 | criminal | Bench Warrant Observed | ERNEST LEE TACHIHARA | 105 | 24 | sfda_arrests · sfda_prosecuted_cases |
| CRI-22000371 | 2022-01-14 | criminal | Bench Warrant Observed | ENRIQUE GENARO VALDOVINOS | 60 | 10 | sfda_arrests · sfda_case_resolutions · sfda_prosecuted_cases |
| CRI-21004361 | 2021-05-04 | criminal | Bench Warrant Observed | KAI ALAN LAMONT | 20 | 10 | sfda_arrests · sfda_prosecuted_cases |
| CRI-17001028 | 2017-01-23 | criminal | Sentencing Observed | DAVID M DIAZ | 116 | 30 | sfda_arrests · sfda_case_resolutions · sfda_prosecuted_cases |
| CRI-14025591 | 2014-09-29 | criminal | Dismissal Observed | JEFFREY BUGAI | 146 | 145 | sfda_arrests · sfda_case_resolutions · sfda_prosecuted_cases |
| CRI-13005448 | 2013-02-27 | criminal | - | DAVID ABAYACHI | 44 | 11 | sfda_arrests · sfda_case_resolutions · sfda_prosecuted_cases |
| CRI-02445812 | 2009-11-23 | criminal | Bench Warrant Observed | ALBERTO ALVARADO | 17 | 4 | |
| CRI-02410873 | 2009-03-20 | criminal | Dismissal Observed | TERRY HUEY | 4 | 1 | |
| CRI-02384172 | 2008-09-09 | criminal | Bench Warrant Observed | EDELBERTO C IGLESIAS | 119 | 2 | |
| CRI-02201922 | 2005-02-03 | criminal | Bench Warrant Observed | BRIAN AUSTIN | 25 | 4 |
First statute record
| Statute ID | PEN:538 |
| Code | PEN |
| Section | 538 |
| Version Date | 2000-01-01 |
| Title | California Code, PEN 538. |
| Source URL | https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=538.&law... |
| Inserted At | 2026-06-05 |
| Updated At | 2026-06-05 |
| Law Section Version ID | id_68230cb8-2920-11d9-9844-b32bb8dfae52 |
| Active Flg | Y |
| Pubinfo Archive URL | https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zip |
| History | Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 991, Sec. 54. Effective January 1, 2000. Operative July 1, 2001, by Sec. 75 of Ch. 991. |
| Source Record Ids | california_codes_leginfo:section:PEN:538 |
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GET https://api.bluedoor.sh/sf-superior-court/v1/statutes?code=PEN§ion=538&limit=20JSONGET https://api.bluedoor.sh/sf-superior-court/v1/case-search?charge=538&limit=25&include_facets=falseJSON