Quote:
Originally Posted by icehog3
Sounds like most of these states define "assault" as Illinois defines "battery". Nobody said Illinois lawmakers were the sharpest knives in the drawer.  |
The common law definition, in pretty much every state is that assault is an action that causes apprehension of imminent physical contact of a harmful or offensive nature. Battery is contact of a harmful or offensive nature.
These aren't statutory (criminal) definitions, which will vary from state to state, but these are the accepted legal definitions. Also, there can be both assault and battery, or just one.