Post-Ruling Reaction School Board member Bill Outlaw (right) appeared in good spirits Wednesday with wife Laura while leaving court after a judge ruled in favor of rival Chris Page.
COURT RULES FOR PAGE IN TRESPASSING COMPLAINT
Chris Page prevailed in General District Court last week in his Trespassing After Forbidden complaint against School Board member Bill Outlaw.
Substitute Judge Stephen Bloom ruled Wednesday, Feb. 11th that Page and special prosecutor Stewart Ball of Amelia proved their case and that Outlaw was “very aggressive and vulgar” when Outlaw went to Page’s residence last October and placed a Winsome Sears for Governor sign in Page’s yard without Page’s permission.
Taken Under Advisement Outlaw was ordered to pay court costs of $99 and must stay away from Page’s property for one year. The court is deferring disposition: if Outlaw abides by the order and there are no other issues, the Class 1 misdemeanor will be dismissed next year. “Don’t test the court,” Judge Bloom warned Outlaw. “Don’t go the the Town right-of-way and shout obscenities at Mr. Page.” “Does that work both ways?” Outlaw asked Judge Bloom. The court said no because Page was not on trial. Outlaw is a former Chairman of the Nottoway Republican Committee, a group he led for 10 years.
The Attorneys Amelia County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Stewart Ball (left) served as special prosecutor in last Wednesday’s Chris Page v. Bill Outlaw trespassing case. Defending Outlaw was attorney Carter Allen of Farmville.
In Yard, But Also In R-O-W During his testimony, Outlaw acknowledged that he was standing in Page’s yard when Page asked him to leave. “I was on his property,” Outlaw told the court, “but I was also in the Town right-of-way.” Outlaw estimated that he was only “eight to ten feet in the yard.” Defense attorney Carter Allen presented as an exhibit an 1891 plat showing the Town owning 70-ft. wide rights-ofway for streets in Page’s neighborhood and other areas. Attorney Allen asked Page if he had ever banned Outlaw from his property previously. Page replied no — that he never before had reason to do so — because Outlaw had never been to his 6th Street home.
CHRIS PAGE “He said vile things about me.” (file photo)
Opposing Spanberger Outlaw testified that he went to Page’s residence to place a sign for Republican Sears “in opposition” to a sign that Page had placed in his yard for Abigail Spanberger (D). Page last Fall also had signs in his yard supporting Republicans John Reid and Jason Miyares. Page obtained those signs from a member of the local Republican committee other than Outlaw.
“Political Divide” Page recalled the evening of Friday, October 17th, 2025. He was helping one of his daughters prepare for a middle school dance. Page said they heard a loud noise outside — like that of a car door slamming — and then noticed something red outside. He opened the door and saw that Outlaw had placed a Sears sign in his yard. Page told the court that there has been a “political divide” between him Outlaw and that’s why he began recording with his cell phone and began asking
Outlaw to remove the sign and to leave his property.
Judge Bloom reviewed the video with its audio turned-up. The courtroom could hear Outlaw shouting at Page and taking the Lord’s name in vain. Page is heard several times asking Outlaw to leave. That video was posted last Fall by Page on Facebook and has received more than 330,000 views.
Judge Bloom asked Page about the “political divide,” which goes back several years.
Page provided as an example the night before the incident — October 16, 2025. Outlaw that night spoke in that very room — the General District Courtroom — urging the Board of Supervisors to reject solar farms. Page that night spoke in favor of solar farms. Page that night also spoke against a School Board request seeking permission from Supervisors to sell the former Burkeville Elementary School. Supervisors sided with Page and other speakers, 5-0, upsetting Outlaw.
“Vile Things” Page testified that on the night in question, “I kept telling him to leave and to take his sign. He said vile things about me, I asked him to leave between seven and ten times. He said things like ‘G-D.’” Defense attorney Allen asked Page who owns the property that he rents. “Who owns it is irrelevant,” Judge Bloom said, sustaining an objection by special prosecutor Stewart Ball. Judge Bloom asked Outlaw why he went to Page’s residence and acted as he did. “I got stupid for a minute,” Outlaw replied. “I did something stupid, and I’ll never do it again.” Outlaw, however, stopped short of apologizing. Page this week told the Courier Record that he had offered to drop the charge before trial if Outlaw would “simply apologize and agree to stay off of my property.” Page said Outlaw refused that offer. Defense attorney Allen argued that Page’s video fails to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Outlaw was standing beyond Town right-of-way and that Trespassing requires more proof. “I disagree,” Judge Bloom replied, ruling for complainant Page. Judge Bloom offered Page an opportunity to prohibit Outlaw from coming into contact with him in any capacity for one year. Page declined, saying that
both he and Outlaw attend local government meetings and Page didn’t think such action was necessary.
Citizen-Counselor Wednesday’s ruling is another “win” for Page in cases involving elected officials. Since moving to Blackstone in 2017, he’s prevailed in FOIA complaints against Crewe Police Department, the Nottoway Board of Supervisors, and the Nottoway Electoral Board. Page also filed a FOIA request in 2024 that revealed private
messages about him between the former principal of Blackstone Primary School and former Mayor after Page had complained about vulgar lyrics in songs played at a school “Harvest Festival.”
Page says he takes no joy in making complaints — that he already has a full plate — but he simply wants elected officials and their staff members to be held accountable when they don’t abide by the law.
Page said his criminal complaint against Outlaw was primarily based in defending his right — and others’ — to address local government without fear of retaliation and intimidation. “A lot of good people in our community already are apprehensive about speaking-out on issues. Mr. Outlaw’s conduct in my yard was obvious retaliation for my speech the night before. Personal property rights are very important to me, like most Americans.”
Page was elected to Town Council in Nov. 2022. Outlaw actively campaigned against Page in that race and worked for two other candidates seeking the Town’s two at-large Council seats.
Outlaw appeared to take the court’s ruling against him in stride last Wednesday, smiling to Judge Bloom after judgement and asking His Honor, “Have you ever had an admitted ‘Outlaw’ in your court before?”
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