The crime of creating apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive physical contact with another human. "Battery" is the crime of completing such contact.
Questions tagged [assault]
132 questions
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Is it legal to use force against a person who is trying to stop you from rescuing another person?
Alice has been severely injured or is otherwise in danger. Eve wants to help Alice, but Bob is somehow preventing her from getting to Alice. Assume that Bob is not threatening to harm Eve; he is only preventing her from helping Alice. Perhaps Eve…
Someone
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Why does the victim have to press charges?
Case in point that was in the news:
"BART identifies man in viral video of racist attack on train", East Bay Times
A California man attacked a stranger while expressing his hatred of the victim's ethnicity.
Everything was caught on video. It seems…
MWB
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Why aren't athletes charged with assault?
Athletes get into brawls and whatnot all the time. Mike Tyson even bit a guy's ear off. Why aren't they charged for assault and sentenced to jail time?
I understand that athletes might get hurt within the context of the game, and that they can't sue…
Adam Zerner
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If a person punches my wife and I am right there, do I have a right to punch that person, or use a singular subduing technique in response?
Background
The other day my wife and I were ordering takeout from a restaurant. As we were leaving there was a really narrow doorway of people coming in and out. My wife, probably out of a mix of tiredness and single mindedly getting back to the…
isakbob
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Is it legal to ask to be shot?
Say I ask someone to shoot me non lethally. Not assisted suicide, Just shot. Is this legal? Isn't it like asking to be assaulted with a deadly weapon?
user31975
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If my spouse gets arrested for domestic violence but I do not press charges, will that still be on his record?
First time I've ever called the authorities on my husband for Domestic Violence. He was arrested, however, I didn't press any charges, will it still be on his record?
LOSTinNEWYORK
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Is it legal to leave signs falsely indicating that one's property has been booby-trapped?
I understand that in most jurisdictions, it is illegal to place booby traps, even on one's own property. What about leaving signs indicating that booby traps have been placed, without any actual traps? For example, would it be legal to put a sign on…
Someone
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Can I defend myself from excessive police force?
Hypothetical situation:
Say the police are chasing me. I get tackled after which I go limp and stop resisting. Subsequently the officer starts throwing elbows to my face. I'm not sure why he's hitting me (...maybe he or his partner got hurt in…
Pat W.
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Is an implied physical threat via looming over someone legal?
Lets say that two individuals approach another person and start asking him questions or ask him to do something (for instance leave an area). They do not make any explicit verbal threats. However, their posture, hostility, and body language all…
dsollen
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Can you legally defend yourself against an attacking police officer?
If a police officer physically attacks you, with or without intent to arrest, can you legally defend yourself? Assume that the police officer punches/kicks/grabs first, and you are not guilty of any crime before the attack. To what extend can you do…
TheEnvironmentalist
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Do criminals have the right to defend themselves from vigilantes?
Consider this scenario...
An unarmed thief snatches a bag from a victim in a public park. The thief flees, pursued by members of the public. The thief trips, falls over and sprains his ankle, he's now more or less defenseless. A crowd surround him…
ConanTheGerbil
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Does grabbing someone by the jacket constitute assault?
What is considered assault in England ? An example Person A swore at Person B and was grabbed by the jacket by person B in a casino.
Has Person B committed assault even though person A may have verbally offended person B?
Dan Khan
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Are you allowed to strike a person if they say you can?
It's my understanding if a person agrees to fight then it's legal. So if they say "hit me" does that mean it's legal for a person to hit them? What if they obviously mean it in a sarcastic way, or taunting? Is it legal for them to hit the person…
Jankin
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Why can security guards/bar bouncers physically remove a person and it's not considered battery?
This is a follow up to this question about when someone can use force on another person. Are security guards or bouncers, such as at a concert or night club, given special privileges since they work at the venue?
Let's say there's a drunk person or…
FunFacts12
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Are there situations where it is legal to threaten someone with a gun but not legal to fire the gun?
One of the essential rules of firearm safety is to never point a gun at anything or anyone you do not intend to shoot. It also seems to be a consensus that whenever it wouldn't be lawful to shoot someone in self-defense, brandishing a gun would also…
vsz
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