Houseburning Law and Legal Definition
Houseburning refers to an intentional act of burning one’s own house or another’s house that is within city limits or close enough to other houses that might be in danger of catching fire. Houseburning is also known as combustio domorum. In the U.S., any person who commits an offense of houseburning is guilty of arson. It is a statutory offense. [Renaker v. Commonwealth, 172 Ky. 714 (Ky. 1916)]
The following is an example of a state statute (Kentucky) explaining arson in the first degree:
According to KRS § 513.020, a person is guilty of arson in the first degree when, with intent to destroy or damage a building, s/he starts a fire or causes an explosion.
