Ohio Rev. Code » Chapter 2903
Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11 (2026)

Felonious assault

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Effective:
March 22, 2019
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 201, Senate Bill 20 - 132nd General Assembly
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(A) No person shall knowingly do either of the following:

(1) Cause serious physical harm to another or to another's unborn;

(2) Cause or attempt to cause physical harm to another or to another's unborn by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance.

(B) No person, with knowledge that the person has tested positive as a carrier of a virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, shall knowingly do any of the following:

(1) Engage in sexual conduct with another person without disclosing that knowledge to the other person prior to engaging in the sexual conduct;

(2) Engage in sexual conduct with a person whom the offender knows or has reasonable cause to believe lacks the mental capacity to appreciate the significance of the knowledge that the offender has tested positive as a carrier of a virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome;

(3) Engage in sexual conduct with a person under eighteen years of age who is not the spouse of the offender.

(C) The prosecution of a person under this section does not preclude prosecution of that person under section 2907.02 of the Revised Code.

(D)(1)(a) Whoever violates this section is guilty of felonious assault. Except as otherwise provided in this division or division (D)(1)(b) of this section, felonious assault is a felony of the second degree. If the victim of a violation of division (A) of this section is a peace officer or an investigator of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation, felonious assault is a felony of the first degree.

(b) Regardless of whether the felonious assault is a felony of the first or second degree under division (D)(1)(a) of this section, if the offender also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification as described in section 2941.1423 of the Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging the offense, except as otherwise provided in this division or unless a longer prison term is required under any other provision of law, the court shall sentence the offender to a mandatory prison term as provided in division (B)(8) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code. If the victim of the offense is a peace officer or an investigator of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation, and if the victim suffered serious physical harm as a result of the commission of the offense, felonious assault is a felony of the first degree, and the court, pursuant to division (F) of section 2929.13 of the Revised Code, shall impose as a mandatory prison term one of the definite prison terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree in division (A)(1)(b) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code, except that if the violation is committed on or after the effective date of this amendment, the court shall impose as the minimum prison term for the offense a mandatory prison term that is one of the minimum terms prescribed for a felony of the first degree in division (A)(1)(a) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.

(2) In addition to any other sanctions imposed pursuant to division (D)(1) of this section for felonious assault committed in violation of division (A)(1) or (2) of this section, if the offender also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification of the type described in section 2941.1425 of the Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging the offense, the court shall sentence the offender to a mandatory prison term under division (B)(9) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.

(3) If the victim of a felonious assault committed in violation of division (A) of this section is a child under ten years of age and if the offender also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification of the type described in section 2941.1426 of the Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging the offense, in addition to any other sanctions imposed pursuant to division (D)(1) of this section, the court shall sentence the offender to a mandatory prison term pursuant to division (B)(10) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code.

(4) In addition to any other sanctions imposed pursuant to division (D)(1) of this section for felonious assault committed in violation of division (A)(2) of this section, if the deadly weapon used in the commission of the violation is a motor vehicle, the court shall impose upon the offender a class two suspension of the offender's driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege as specified in division (A)(2) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code.

(E) As used in this section:

(1) "Deadly weapon" and "dangerous ordnance" have the same meanings as in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Peace officer" has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Sexual conduct" has the same meaning as in section 2907.01 of the Revised Code, except that, as used in this section, it does not include the insertion of an instrument, apparatus, or other object that is not a part of the body into the vaginal or anal opening of another, unless the offender knew at the time of the insertion that the instrument, apparatus, or other object carried the offender's bodily fluid.

(5) "Investigator of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation" means an investigator of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation who is commissioned by the superintendent of the bureau as a special agent for the purpose of assisting law enforcement officers or providing emergency assistance to peace officers pursuant to authority granted under section 109.541 of the Revised Code.

(6) "Investigator" has the same meaning as in section 109.541 of the Revised Code.

(F) The provisions of division (D)(2) of this section and of division (F)(20) of section 2929.13, divisions (B)(9) and (C)(6) of section 2929.14, and section 2941.1425 of the Revised Code shall be known as "Judy's Law."

The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3,951 cases (1,604 in the last 5 years), 1974–2026 · leading case: State v. Harris, 2009-Ohio-3323, 911 N.E.2d 882.
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State v. Harris, 2009-Ohio-3323, 911 N.E.2d 882. · cites it 41× “Felonious Assault: R.C. 2903.11 (A)(1) and (A)(2) {¶ 18} In State v.”
State v. Barnes, 759 N.E.2d 1240 (Ohio 2002). · cites it 10× “Nelson was bound over on the charge of felonious assault in violation of R.C. 2903.11(A)(1) and (2), but he was later indicted on one count of attempted murder.”
Brian Williams v. United States, 927 F.3d 427 (6th Cir. 2019). · cites it 26× “It is also true, moreover, that the categorical shortcomings of Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11 should have been just as identifiable in 2006 as they are today.”
State v. Williams, 2010-Ohio-147, 922 N.E.2d 937. · cites it 30× “Felonious assault as defined in R.C. 2903.11(A)(1) is an allied offense of attempted murder as defined in R.”
United States v. Le' Ardrus Burris, 912 F.3d 386 (6th Cir. 2019). · cites it 12× “Compare Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2903.11 (A)(1), with id.”
State v. Barnes, 94 Ohio St. 3d 21 (2002). · cites it 10× “Nelson was bound over on the charge of felonious assault in violation of R.C. 2903.11(A)(1) and (2), but he was later indicted on one count of attempted murder.”
State v. Tolliver, 2017-Ohio-4214. · cites it 10× “2903.11(A)(1) and (2). “Deadly weapon” is defined as “any instrument, device, or thing capable of inflicting death, and designed or specially adapted for use as a weapon, or possessed, carried, or used as a weapon.”
State v. McKelton (Slip Opinion), 2016-Ohio-5735, 70 N.E.3d 508. · cites it 4× “{¶ 3} McKelton was also charged with two counts of felonious assault, R.C. 2903.11(A)(1), and two counts of domestic violence against Allen, R.”
Grange Mut. Cas. Co. v. Chapman (In re Chapman), 228 B.R. 899 (Bankr. N.D. Ohio 1998). · cites it 23× “Sometime later, the findings from the criminal investigation were turned over to the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office, who in turn prosecuted the Debtor for Felonious Assault under O.R.C. § 2903.11. The Debtor was subsequently found guilty of the charge, and ordered to pay Ms.”
State v. Potts, 2016-Ohio-5555, 69 N.E.3d 1227. · cites it 8× “{¶14} At trial, the State offered the testimony of Deputy Terrill Brooks (“Deputy Brooks”) and Sergeant Michael Cortez (“Sergeant Cortez”) of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office regarding the September 29, 2014 incident.”
State v. Peters, 2023-Ohio-4362, 231 N.E.3d 37. · cites it 16× “” Therefore, the State is required to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant (1) knowingly, (2) caused or attempted to cause physical harm to another, (3) by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance.”
State v. Murray, 805 N.E.2d 156 (Ohio Ct. App. 1st Dist. 2004). · cites it 16× “{¶ 1} Following a jury trial, defendant-appellant, Sonny Murray, was convicted of two counts of felonious assault pursuant to R.C. 2903.11(A)(1) and four counts of felonious assault pursuant to R.”
Show all 3,951 citing cases →
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(1): 1 case
State v. Shearer, 2016-Ohio-7302.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A): 241 cases
Brian Williams v. United States, 927 F.3d 427 (6th Cir. 2019). “It is also true, moreover, that the categorical shortcomings of Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11 should have been just as identifiable in 2006 as they are today.”
State v. Ireland (Slip Opinion), 2018-Ohio-4494, 121 N.E.3d 285.
United States v. Le' Ardrus Burris, 912 F.3d 386 (6th Cir. 2019). “Compare Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2903.11 (A)(1), with id.”
United States v. Gregory Raymore, 965 F.3d 475 (6th Cir. 2020).
Stillwagon v. City of Delaware, 274 F. Supp. 3d 714 (S.D. Ohio 2017).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(1): 1953 cases
State v. Harris, 2009-Ohio-3323, 911 N.E.2d 882. “Felonious Assault: R.C. 2903.11 (A)(1) and (A)(2) {¶ 18} In State v.”
State v. Williams, 2010-Ohio-147, 922 N.E.2d 937. “Felonious assault as defined in R.C. 2903.11(A)(1) is an allied offense of attempted murder as defined in R.”
State v. McKelton (Slip Opinion), 2016-Ohio-5735, 70 N.E.3d 508. “{¶ 3} McKelton was also charged with two counts of felonious assault, R.C. 2903.11(A)(1), and two counts of domestic violence against Allen, R.”
United States v. Le' Ardrus Burris, 912 F.3d 386 (6th Cir. 2019). “Compare Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2903.11 (A)(1), with id.”
State v. Tolliver, 2017-Ohio-4214. “2903.11(A)(1) and (2). “Deadly weapon” is defined as “any instrument, device, or thing capable of inflicting death, and designed or specially adapted for use as a weapon, or possessed, carried, or used as a weapon.”
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(1)(2): 3 cases
State v. Scott, 2013-Ohio-5875.
State v. Nelson, 2016-Ohio-2692.
State v. Lipkins, 2023-Ohio-1192.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(1)(A)(2): 3 cases
State v. Woods, 2022-Ohio-3339, 198 N.E.3d 900.
State v. Alston, 2017-Ohio-8616.
State v. Porter, 2013-Ohio-89.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(1)(D): 21 cases
State v. Henderson, 2018-Ohio-2816.
State v. Shaw, 2013-Ohio-5292.
State v. Matland, 2010-Ohio-6585.
State v. Hansen, 2012-Ohio-4574.
State v. Brown, 2018-Ohio-253, 104 N.E.3d 214.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(1)(D)(1): 6 cases
State v. Menifield, 2024-Ohio-2981.
State v. Potts, 2023-Ohio-954, 211 N.E.3d 289.
State v. Beaver, 2022-Ohio-4578.
State v. Williams, 2023-Ohio-1634.
State v. Morlock, 2024-Ohio-429.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(1)(D)(a): 1 case
State v. Whaley, 2019-Ohio-3933.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(1)(c): 1 case
Zeigler v. Warden, Lebanon Corr. Inst., No. 1:18-cv-00580 (S.D. Ohio Aug. 16, 2022).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(1)(d)(1): 1 case
State v. Lawyer, 2019-Ohio-597.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(2): 1749 cases
State v. Barnes, 759 N.E.2d 1240 (Ohio 2002). “Nelson was bound over on the charge of felonious assault in violation of R.C. 2903.11(A)(1) and (2), but he was later indicted on one count of attempted murder.”
State v. Barnes, 94 Ohio St. 3d 21 (2002). “Nelson was bound over on the charge of felonious assault in violation of R.C. 2903.11(A)(1) and (2), but he was later indicted on one count of attempted murder.”
State v. Williams, 2010-Ohio-147, 922 N.E.2d 937. “Felonious assault as defined in R.C. 2903.11(A)(1) is an allied offense of attempted murder as defined in R.”
State v. Harris, 2009-Ohio-3323, 911 N.E.2d 882. “Felonious Assault: R.C. 2903.11 (A)(1) and (A)(2) {¶ 18} In State v.”
State v. Potts, 2016-Ohio-5555, 69 N.E.3d 1227. “{¶14} At trial, the State offered the testimony of Deputy Terrill Brooks (“Deputy Brooks”) and Sergeant Michael Cortez (“Sergeant Cortez”) of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office regarding the September 29, 2014 incident.”
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(2)(1)(a): 1 case
State v. Moore, 2022-Ohio-4422.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(2)(B): 2 cases
State v. Houseman, 591 N.E.2d 405 (Ohio Ct. App. 3d Dist. 1990).
State v. Jones, 684 N.E.2d 1304 (Ohio Ct. App. 7th Dist. 1996).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(2)(D): 48 cases
State v. Barnette, 2014-Ohio-5405.
State v. Italiano, 2021-Ohio-1283.
State v. Shaw, 2013-Ohio-5292.
State v. James, 2020-Ohio-4289.
State v. Matland, 2010-Ohio-6585.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(2)(D)(1): 10 cases
State v. Phillips, 2017-Ohio-7107.
State v. Hill, 2020-Ohio-1237.
State v. Ray, 2018-Ohio-3293.
State v. Schillinger, 2018-Ohio-3966.
Cooper v. Youngstown, 2016-Ohio-7184.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(2)(a): 1 case
State v. Stiltner, 2021-Ohio-959.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(2)(b): 1 case
State v. Santiago, 8 Ohio App. Unrep. 314 (Ohio Ct. App. 7th Dist. 1990).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(3): 5 cases
State v. Taylor, 2019-Ohio-3367.
State v. Stephens, 2016-Ohio-384, 59 N.E.3d 612.
State v. Bartulica, 2018-Ohio-3978.
State v. Williams, 2014-Ohio-3624.
State v. Jefferson, 2025-Ohio-429.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(D)(1)(a): 8 cases
State v. Watson, 2023-Ohio-3137.
State v. Stephen, 2025-Ohio-693, 264 N.E.3d 942.
State v. James, 2025-Ohio-2629.
State v. Scott, 2024-Ohio-2355.
State v. Mitchell, 2025-Ohio-4658.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(Z): 1 case
State v. Lindsay, 2018-Ohio-5245.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(A)(l): 2 cases
State v. West, 2017-Ohio-4055, 91 N.E.3d 365.
Terrance Walter v. Bennie Kelly, 653 F. App'x 378 (6th Cir. 2016).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(AX2): 3 cases
State v. Green, 569 N.E.2d 1038 (Ohio 1991).
State v. George, 2 Ohio App. Unrep. 671 (Ohio Ct. App. 12th Dist. 1990).
State v. Penson, 1 Ohio App. Unrep. 81 (Ohio Ct. App. 2d Dist. 1990).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(B): 16 cases
United States v. Le' Ardrus Burris, 912 F.3d 386 (6th Cir. 2019). “Compare Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2903.11 (A)(1), with id.”
State v. Gross, 2002-Ohio-5524, 97 Ohio St. 3d 121.
State v. Corbin, 751 N.E.2d 505 (Ohio Ct. App. 8th Dist. 2001).
State v. Batista (Slip Opinion), 2017-Ohio-8304.
State v. Wong, 641 N.E.2d 1137 (Ohio Ct. App. 4th Dist. 1994).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(B)(1): 20 cases
State v. Boatright, 2017-Ohio-5794, 94 N.E.3d 1007.
State v. Batista (Slip Opinion), 2017-Ohio-8304.
State v. Batista, 2016-Ohio-2848, 64 N.E.3d 498.
State v. Bean, 2014-Ohio-908.
State v. Gonzalez, 796 N.E.2d 12 (Ohio Ct. App. 1st Dist. 2003).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(B)(1)(D): 1 case
State v. McKinney, 2020-Ohio-4721.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(B)(2)(b): 1 case
State v. Abdus-Salaam, 2024-Ohio-2773.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(B)(2)(e): 1 case
State v. Abdus-Salaam, 2024-Ohio-2773.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(B)(3): 10 cases
State v. Gonzalez, 952 N.E.2d 502 (Ohio Ct. App. 6th Dist. 2011).
State v. Ward, 2021-Ohio-1930.
Christian v. Davis, 2023-Ohio-1445, 217 N.E.3d 792.
Christian v. Bracy, 2022-Ohio-3201.
State v. Sanders, 2020-Ohio-3506.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(C): 1 case
State v. Gonzalez, 952 N.E.2d 502 (Ohio Ct. App. 6th Dist. 2011).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(D): 17 cases
State v. Peters, 2023-Ohio-4362, 231 N.E.3d 37. “” Therefore, the State is required to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant (1) knowingly, (2) caused or attempted to cause physical harm to another, (3) by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance.”
State v. Blanton, 2023-Ohio-89, 206 N.E.3d 14.
State v. Hampton, 2016-Ohio-5321.
State v. Gonzalez, 796 N.E.2d 12 (Ohio Ct. App. 1st Dist. 2003).
State v. Ratliff, 2023-Ohio-1970.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(D)(1): 14 cases
State v. Belew (Slip Opinion), 2014-Ohio-2964, 17 N.E.3d 515.
R.C. v. J.G., 2013-Ohio-4265.
A.M. v. D.L., 2017-Ohio-5621.
State v. Dukes, 2019-Ohio-2893.
State v. Yoder, 2016-Ohio-7428.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(D)(1)(A): 1 case
State v. Blouir, 2022-Ohio-1222.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(D)(1)(a): 84 cases
United States v. Le' Ardrus Burris, 912 F.3d 386 (6th Cir. 2019). “Compare Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2903.11 (A)(1), with id.”
State v. Freetage, 2021-Ohio-4050.
State v. Conant, 2020-Ohio-4319.
State v. Mock, 2010-Ohio-2747, 933 N.E.2d 270.
State v. Padilla, 2023-Ohio-1995.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(D)(1)(b): 10 cases
State v. Lewis, 2022-Ohio-4421.
State v. Fairman, 2011-Ohio-6489.
State v. Merriweather, 2017-Ohio-421.
State v. Fredericy, 2011-Ohio-3834.
State v. Roush, 2014-Ohio-4887.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(D)(2): 2 cases
State v. Walz, 2012-Ohio-4627.
State v. Schoeneman, 2012-Ohio-4710.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(D)(3): 1 case
State v. Sepeda, 2020-Ohio-4167, 157 N.E.3d 889.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(D)(4): 5 cases
State v. Eitzman, 2022-Ohio-574.
State v. Farr, 2023-Ohio-4704.
State v. Steele, 2025-Ohio-5133.
State v. McComb, 2022-Ohio-1423.
State v. Steele, 2025-Ohio-5766.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(D)(l)(a): 1 case
Ivery v. McConahay, No. 5:22-cv-01586 (N.D. Ohio June 2, 2025).
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(E): 1 case
State v. Shappie, 2025-Ohio-1629.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(E)(1): 21 cases
State v. Tolliver, 2017-Ohio-4214. “2903.11(A)(1) and (2). “Deadly weapon” is defined as “any instrument, device, or thing capable of inflicting death, and designed or specially adapted for use as a weapon, or possessed, carried, or used as a weapon.”
State v. Eitzman, 2022-Ohio-574.
State v. Peters, 2023-Ohio-4362, 231 N.E.3d 37. “” Therefore, the State is required to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant (1) knowingly, (2) caused or attempted to cause physical harm to another, (3) by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance.”
State v. Johnson, 2022-Ohio-4629.
State v. White, 2019-Ohio-4288.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(E)(2): 1 case
State v. Eitzman, 2022-Ohio-574.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(E)(4): 1 case
State v. Bean, 2014-Ohio-908.
Ohio Rev. Code § 2903.11(a): 2 cases
United States v. Cesar Melendez-Perez, No. 20-3925, 2021 WL 3045781 (6th Cir. July 20, 2021).
United States v. Cesar Melendez-Perez, No. 20-3925 (6th Cir. July 20, 2021).
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