A verbal threat or swinging at someone without making contact can be enough to satisfy a charge of Assault.Īssault is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable with up to $500 in fines and up to 60 days in jail. Assault is often thought of as hitting or striking someone, but in the Florida criminal justice system no actual contact needs to be made. There must be an “apparent ability” to carry out the threat and it must create a well-founded fear in the victim that the violence is imminent.
AssaultĪssault in the state of Florida is either a physical or a verbal threat to harm another. They have very different meanings in the state of Florida, and if you have been accused of one of these crimes, it is important to understand exactly what the state is alleging. Assault, Battery and crimes of domestic violence are crimes which are commonly mistaken for one another and mixed up.