Can someone please explain what this law means,,,,last one!?

Question

§37-7-5. Waste pending suit.

If the tenant in possession of any land shall, pending any suit to recover or charge such land, with knowledge of such suit, commit any waste thereon, the court, in which the suit is, may command the sheriff or other officer to take possession of the land; and, if the plaintiff succeed in recovering or charging the land, he may recover, in an action on the case against him who committed the waste, three times the amount of damages assessed therefor.

Thank you not sure what waste means is that damages?

So, would this law stand for a tenant who has trashed and tore out carpet comode and spot painted walls out of retaliation toward owner for owner filing a breach of contract against tenant?

Answer 1

It means you can't trash the land that is being foreclosed. If you do something like running a bulldozer over it knocking over the trees that cause it to lose value they can sue you for three times the loss.

Answer 2

Yes, this law would apply to a tenant who trashes the property in retaliation for a lawsuit filed by the landlord. When a tenant purposely damages the property they are renting then they are committing waste.