784.011

Assault.

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784.011 Assault.
(1) An “assault” is an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is imminent.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person who assaults another person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(3) A person who assaults another person in furtherance of a riot or an aggravated riot prohibited under s. 870.01 commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
History.s. 5, Feb. 10, 1832; RS 2400; GS 3226; RGS 5059; CGL 7161; s. 1, ch. 70-88; s. 729, ch 71-136; s. 17, ch. 74-383; s. 7, ch. 75-298; s. 171, ch. 91-224; s. 4, ch. 2021-6.
Note.Former s. 784.02.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 255 cases (29 in the last 5 years), 1975–2026 · leading case: Pinkney v. State
Pinkney v. State (2011) fladistctapp · cites it 14× “" [2] In reaching the conclusion that section 784.011 required the State to prove that the defendant had the intent to do violence, Shorette relied on Russell v.”
United States v. Isaac Seabrooks (2016) ca11 · cites it 2× “” Fla. Stat. § 784.011 (1). And, “[t]he fear contemplated by the statute is the fear of death or great bodily harm.”
United States v. Warren Travis Golden (2017) ca11 · cites it 2× “” [ Fla. Stat. § 784.011 ] (emphasis supplied).”
State v. Hackley (2012) fla · cites it 4× ““An ‘assault’ is an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is imminent.”
Michael Turner v. Warden Coleman FCI (Medium) (2013) ca11 · cites it 2× “” Fla. Stat. § 784.011 . 5 Though we technically examine the statute as it existed at the time of the relevant conviction, for ease of access we cite throughout this opinion to the present statute, unless the statute or statutes of conviction have been revised in relevant part…”
Salazar v. State (2008) fla · cites it 2× “" § 784.011(1), Fla. Stat. (2000). Similarly, "terror" is defined as "a state of intense fear," and to "terrorize" is "to coerce by threat or violence.”
United States v. Derwin Fritts (2016) ca11 “” Fla. Stat. § 784.011 (1). And, “[t]he fear contemplated by the statute is the fear of death or great bodily harm.”
Savino v. State (1984) fladistctapp · cites it 10× “Utilization of the correct theory, a substantive analysis of the statutes and charges involved, reveals that these two offenses are as substantively different as are the offense of simple assault (§ 784.011, Fla. Stat. (1981)) and the offense of battery (§ 784.”
Torrence v. State (1983) fladistctapp · cites it 4× “[12] Since the offense of simple assault (§ 784.011, Fla. Stat.) and the firearm offense (§ 790.”
United States v. Terin Moss (2019) ca11 · cites it 2× “at 1338 (quoting Fla. Stat. § 784.011 (1) ). Florida's assault statutes are distinguishable, however, from Georgia's assault statutes.”
Cambell v. State (2010) fladistctapp · cites it 5× “The Second District Court after enumerating the statutory requirements set forth in section 784.011, Florida Statutes, stated that “[i]n order to establish an aggravated assault, the State must prove that the defendant had a specific intent to do violence to the person of…”
Benitez v. State (2005) fladistctapp · cites it 4× “" Section 784.011, Florida Statutes (2004), defines an assault as "an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that…”
— 784.011(1) — 98 cases
Pinkney v. State (2011) fladistctapp “" [2] In reaching the conclusion that section 784.011 required the State to prove that the defendant had the intent to do violence, Shorette relied on Russell v.”
State v. Hackley (2012) fla ““An ‘assault’ is an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is imminent.”
Salazar v. State (2008) fla “" § 784.011(1), Fla. Stat. (2000). Similarly, "terror" is defined as "a state of intense fear," and to "terrorize" is "to coerce by threat or violence.”
Suggs v. State (2011) fladistctapp
Pallas v. State (1994) fladistctapp
— 784.011(2) — 16 cases
Shieder v. State (1983) fladistctapp
Burdick v. State (1991) fladistctapp
Lebron v. State (2005) fla
Chambers v. State (2007) fladistctapp
Shova v. Eller (1992) fladistctapp
— 784.011(3) — 1 case
— 784.011(a) — 2 cases
M. M. v. State (1980) fladistctapp
MM v. State (1980) fladistctapp
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.

This Florida statute resource is curated by the attorney maintaining this site, a Jacksonville, Florida criminal defense attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). Attorney Syfert regularly handles Chapter 784 matters in the context of assault and battery defense and represents clients throughout Northeast Florida. For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.