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Texas Assault and Battery Explained
Assault and battery are two of the most frequently misunderstood criminal charges. Because state laws vary widely on what constitutes an assault or a battery, most people have only a vague understanding of what these crimes mean. In Texas, assault and battery fall under the same section of the state’s penal code. Texas law refers to these crimes as “assaultive offenses” that encompass both traditional common law assault and battery. Any intentional, knowing, or reckless harm, threat of harm, or bodily contact with another person is an assaultive offense.
You don’t necessarily have to touch another person to be charged with assault. Under Texas’s comprehensive assault statute, you can be charged with an assaultive defense if you do any of the following: