A common misconception about pecans landed three people in jail last week, thanks to a little-known law that states pecans belong to the tree owner regardless of where they fall. Even the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office was unfamiliar with this law until a Portal area pecan grower brought it to their attention, said Bulloch County Sheriff Lynn Anderson. Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) 44-12-241 states “When pecan trees are grown on private property and the branches of the trees extend over public roads, streets, or highways; rights of way, any pecans falling from any such pecan tree onto the public rights of way shall be the property of the owner of the pecan trees until the end of the harvesting season. …" The law makes it illegal for people to gather those pecans, unless they have permission from the owner of the trees.