What distinguishes assault from battery?

The distinction between assault and battery is fundamentally rooted in the concepts of intention and action. Assault is characterized by the intention to cause apprehension of harmful or offensive contact to another person. This means that even if no physical harm occurs, the mere threat or act that puts someone in fear of imminent harm qualifies as assault.

On the other hand, battery requires the actual physical act of harming someone; it involves unwanted or offensive physical contact with another individual. Therefore, battery not only refers to the intention to cause harm but also to the completion of that intention through physical action.

The clarity of this distinction helps reinforce understanding of the scope of personal injury laws and is crucial in legal practice to address the nature of offenses correctly. Understanding that assault involves the threat or the intention while battery is about the physical act of harm shapes the legal framework around these offenses, allowing for appropriate classification and prosecution within criminal law.