Legal Statutes: Pennsylvania

UPDATED October 12, 2012

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• Pennsylvania Statutes (select sections)
  • Title 18. Crimes and Offenses
    • Part I Preliminary Provisions
      • Chapter 1. General Provisions
        • 106. Classes of offenses
      • Chapter 11. Authorized Disposition of Offenders
        • 1101. Fines
        • 1103. Sentence of imprisonment for felony
        • 1104. Sentence of imprisonment for misdemeanors
    • Part II. Definition of Specific Offenses
      • Article B. Offenses Involving Danger to the Person
        • Chapter 27. Assault
          • 2701. Simple assault
          • 2702. Aggravated assault
          • 2705. Recklessly endangering another person
          • 2709. Harassment
          • 2709.1. Stalking
        • Chapter 29. Kidnapping
          • 2901. Kidnapping
          • 2902. Unlawful restraint
          • 2903. False imprisonment
          • 2904. Interference with custody of children
        • Chapter 31. Sexual Offenses
          • Subchapter A General Provisions
            • 3101. Definitions
          • Subchapter B. Definitions of Offenses
            • 3121. Rape
            • 3122.1. Statutory sexual assault
            • 3123. Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
            • 3124.1. Sexual assault
            • 3125. Aggravated indecent assault
            • 3126. Indecent assault
            • 3127. Indecent exposure
      • Article C. Offenses Against Property
        • Chapter 35. Burglary and Other Criminal Intrusion
          • 3503. Criminal trespass
      • Article G. Miscellaneous Offenses
        • Chapter 61. Firearms and Other Dangerous Articles
          • 6105. Persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms
  • Title 23. Domestic Relations
    • Part IV. Divorce
      • Chapter 31. Preliminary Provisions
        • 3104. Bases of jurisdiction
      • Chapter 33. Dissolution of Marital Status
        • Subchapter A. General Provisions
          • 3301. Grounds for divorce
    • Part VI. Children and Minors
      • Chapter 51. General Provisions
        • 5104. Blood tests to determine paternity
      • Chapter 53. Custody
        • Subchapter A General Provisions
          • 5322. Definitions
          • 5323. Award of custody
          • 5324. Standing for any form of physical custody or legal custody
          • 5325. Standing for partial physical custody and supervised physical custody
          • 5328. Factors to consider when awarding custody
          • 5337. Relocation
      • Chapter 54. Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement
        • Subchapter A. General Provisions
          • 5402. Definitions
        • Subchapter B. Jurisdiction
          • 5421. Initial child custody jurisdiction
          • 5423. Jurisdiction to modify determination
          • 5424. Temporary emergency jurisdiction
          • 5427. Inconvenient forum
        • Subchapter C. Enforcement
          • 5451. Warrant to take physical custody of child
    • Part VII. Abuse of Family
      • Chapter 61. Protection from Abuse
        • 6101. Short title of chapter.
        • 6102. Definitions
        • 6103. Jurisdiction
        • 6104. Full faith and credit and foreign protection orders
        • 6105. Responsibilities of law enforcement agencies
        • 6106. Commencement of proceedings
        • 6107. Hearings
        • 6108. Relief
        • 6108.1. Return of relinquished firearms, other weapons and ammunition and additional relief
        • 6108.2. Relinquishment for consignment sale, lawful transfer or safekeeping
        • 6108.3. Relinquishment to third party for safekeeping
        • 6108.4. Registry or database of firearm ownership
        • 6108.5. Penalties for release of information
        • 6109. Service of orders
        • 6110. Emergency relief by minor judiciary
        • 6111. Domestic violence counselor/advocate
        • 6112. Disclosure of addresses
        • 6113. Arrest for violation of order
        • 6113.1. Private criminal complaints for violation of order or agreement
        • 6114. Contempt for violation of order or agreement
        • 6114.1. Civil contempt or modification for violation of an order or agreement
        • 6115. Reporting abuse and immunity.
        • 6116. Confidentiality Confidentiality.
        • 6117. Procedure and other remedies
      • Chapter 67 Domestic and Sexual Violence Victim Address Confidentiality
        • 6705. Application and certification process
        • 6706. Cancellation, expiration and voluntary withdrawal
    • Part VIII. Uniform Interstate Family Support
      • Chapter 71. General Provisions
        • 7101. Short title of part and definitions
  • Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure
    • Actions Pursuant to Protection from Abuse Act
      • Rule 1901.1. Venue

Chapter 27. Assault

back to top2701. Simple assault

(a) OFFENSE DEFINED.--A PERSON IS GUILTY OF ASSAULT IF HE:

(1) attempts to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes
bodily injury to another;

(2) negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon;

(3) attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent
serious bodily injury; or

(4) conceals or attempts to conceal a hypodermic needle on his person
and intentionally or knowingly penetrates a law enforcement officer or
an officer or an employee of a correctional institution, county jail or
prison, detention facility or mental hospital during the course of an
arrest or any search of the person.

(b) GRADING.--SIMPLE ASSAULT IS A MISDEMEANOR OF THE SECOND DEGREE UNLESS COMMITTED:

(1) in a fight or scuffle entered into by mutual consent, in which case
it is a misdemeanor of the third degree; or

(2) against a child under 12 years of age by an adult 21 years of age
or older, in which case it is a misdemeanor of the first degree.