Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126 (2026)

Indecent assault.

✓ current as of May 2026

Coverage note: this corpus holds the consolidated Pa.C.S. titles only. Unconsolidated P.S. statutes (UTPCPL 73 P.S. § 201-1, Liquor Code, wage payment laws) are not included; a miss here does not mean the statute does not exist. Check palegis.us.

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section PA-LEGpalegis.us JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

§ 3126. Indecent assault.

(a) Offense defined.--A person is guilty of indecent assault if the person has indecent contact with the complainant, causes the complainant to have indecent contact with the person or intentionally causes the complainant to come into contact with seminal fluid, urine or feces for the purpose of arousing sexual desire in the person or the complainant and:

(1) the person does so without the complainant's consent;

(2) the person does so by forcible compulsion;

(3) the person does so by threat of forcible compulsion that would prevent resistance by a person of reasonable resolution;

(4) the complainant is unconscious or the person knows that the complainant is unaware that the indecent contact is occurring;

(5) the person has substantially impaired the complainant's power to appraise or control his or her conduct by administering or employing, without the knowledge of the complainant, drugs, intoxicants or other means for the purpose of preventing resistance;

(6) the complainant suffers from a mental disability which renders the complainant incapable of consent;

(7) the complainant is less than 13 years of age; or

(8) the complainant is less than 16 years of age and the person is four or more years older than the complainant and the complainant and the person are not married to each other.

(b) Grading.--Indecent assault shall be graded as follows:

(1) An offense under subsection (a)(1) or (8) is a misdemeanor of the second degree.

(2) An offense under subsection (a)(2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(3) An offense under subsection (a)(7) is a misdemeanor of the first degree unless any of the following apply, in which case it is a felony of the third degree:

(i) It is a second or subsequent offense.

(ii) There has been a course of conduct of indecent assault by the person.

(iii) The indecent assault was committed by touching the complainant's sexual or intimate parts with sexual or intimate parts of the person.

(iv) The indecent assault is committed by touching the person's sexual or intimate parts with the complainant's sexual or intimate parts.

(May 18, 1976, P.L.120, No.53, eff. 30 days; Feb. 2, 1990, P.L.6, No.4, eff. 60 days; Mar. 31, 1995, 1st Sp.Sess., P.L.985, No.10, eff. 60 days; Nov. 23, 2005, P.L.412, No.76, eff. 60 days)

Cross References. Section 3126 is referred to in sections 2714, 3141, 9122, 9123, 9158 of this title; sections 5329, 6303, 6304, 6344 of Title 23 (Domestic Relations); sections 5552, 6302, 6304, 6352, 6358, 6402, 6403, 9799.14, 9799.24, 9799.55, 9799.58 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); sections 6139, 7122 of Title 61 (Prisons and Parole).

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 838 cases (200 in the last 5 years), 1975–2026 · leading case: Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Shower, W., 147 A.3d 517 (Pa. 2016).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Shower, W., 147 A.3d 517 (Pa. 2016). · cites it 20× “§ 3125(a)(7), and indecent assault, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(7). The Commonwealth and Shower entered into a plea agreement.”

Commonwealth v. Strafford, 194 A.3d 168 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018). · cites it 9× “4 The Commonwealth through this petition sought to have the court permit the introduction at bar of certain verbal and nonverbal hearsay statements of the eight (8) year old, minor complainant (hereinafter described as "S.C.," "complainant," and/or "minor complainant").”

Commonwealth v. Provenzano, 50 A.3d 148 (Pa. 2012). · cites it 6× “Consequently, upon remand the trial court is empowered to impose a sentence on only *158 one count of indecent assault as defined under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126. ¶ 28 Convictions affirmed.”

Commonwealth v. Islas, 156 A.3d 1185 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017). · cites it 3× “§ 3126(a)(7) (graded as a first-degree misdemeanor); 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(1). 2 . The Court approvingly described Forbes as reflecting that there is no absolute right to withdraw a guilty plea; trial courts have discretion in determining whether a withdrawal request will be…”

C.C.H. v. Philadelphia Phillies, Inc., 940 A.2d 336 (Pa. 2008). · cites it 8× “18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a) provides that "[a] person is guilty of indecent assault if the person has indecent contact with the complainant, causes the complainant to have indecent contact with the person or intentionally causes the complainant to come into contact with seminal fluid,…”

Commonwealth v. Meals, 912 A.2d 213 (Pa. 2006). · cites it 4× “[2] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(1), (4) and (8). [3] 18 Pa.”

United States v. Andrew F. Galo, 239 F.3d 572 (3rd Cir. 2001). · cites it 6× “Finally, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126, “Indecent assault,” provides that “[a] person who has indecent contact with the complainant or causes the complainant to have indecent contact with the person is guilty of indecent assault if [ ] the person does so without the complainant’s…”

A.S. v. Pennsylvania State Police, 143 A.3d 896 (Pa. 2016). · cites it 2× “18 Pa.C.S. § 3126 (relating to indecent assault) where the offense is graded as a misdemeanor of the first degree or higher.”

Com. v. Cramer, R., III, 195 A.3d 594 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018). · cites it 2× “" 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(1). It is well established that "resistance to sexual assault is not required to sustain a conviction.”

Commonwealth v. Woodruff, 135 A.3d 1045 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). · cites it 7× “1(a)(1) (requiring a ten-year registration period for any person convicted of 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126 “where the offense is graded as a misdemeanor of the first degree or higher”) (expired December 20, 2012).”

George Cadapan v. Attorney Gen. United States, 749 F.3d 157 (3rd Cir. 2014). · cites it 8× “On August 31, 2011, following a jury trial in the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Cada-pan was convicted of three offenses: (1) indecent assault with a person less than 13 years of age, in violation of 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126 (a)(7); (2) indecent…”

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Farabaugh, R., 128 A.3d 1191 (Pa. 2015). · cites it 9× “Relevant to this appeal, Act 19 added the following provision, in pertinent part: “For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘sexually violent offense’ I shall not include I [a] conviction under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126 (relating to indecent assault) where the crime is graded as a…”

Show all 838 citing cases →

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(1) — 16 cases

Commonwealth v. Niemetz, 422 A.2d 1369 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1980).

Commonwealth v. Hitchcock, 565 A.2d 1159 (Pa. 1989).

Commonwealth v. Moody, 441 A.2d 371 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1982).

Commonwealth v. Russell, 460 A.2d 316 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1983).

Commonwealth v. Brown, 727 A.2d 541 (Pa. 1999).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(2) — 2 cases

Commonwealth v. Titus, 556 A.2d 425 (Pa. 1989).

Commonwealth v. DeBerry, 409 A.2d 87 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1979).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(3)(ii) — 1 case

Com. v. Kemmerer, D. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(A)(1) — 4 cases

Com. v. Markelwitz, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Cayenne v. Tobyhanna Twp., PA (M.D. Penn. 2025).

Com. v. Jackson, C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

Commonwealth v. Starr, 40 Pa. D. & C.4th 192 (1998).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(A)(2) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Curtin, 78 Pa. D. & C.4th 495 (2006).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(A)(4) — 1 case

Com. v. Jackson, C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(A)(7) — 5 cases

Com. v. Markelwitz, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Wilcox, C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

A.G. Wright v. PSP (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2019).

In the Int. of Z.F.Q., Appeal of: F.M.P. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2022).

Com. v. Chandler, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(A)(8) — 2 cases

Com. v. Markelwitz, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Cobbett, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(A)(A) — 1 case

Cayenne v. Tobyhanna Twp., PA (M.D. Penn. 2025).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a) — 35 cases

C.C.H. v. Philadelphia Phillies, Inc., 940 A.2d 336 (Pa. 2008). “18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a) provides that "[a] person is guilty of indecent assault if the person has indecent contact with the complainant, causes the complainant to have indecent contact with the person or intentionally causes the complainant to come into contact with seminal fluid,…”

Com. v. Crenshaw, E., 306 A.3d 383 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023).

G.V. v. Dep't of Pub. Welfare, 52 A.3d 434 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2012).

Com. v. Astles, B. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Com. v. Hill, E. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(1) — 159 cases

Com. v. Cramer, R., III, 195 A.3d 594 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018). “" 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(1). It is well established that "resistance to sexual assault is not required to sustain a conviction.”

Commonwealth v. Meals, 912 A.2d 213 (Pa. 2006). “[2] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(1), (4) and (8). [3] 18 Pa.”

Commonwealth v. Gordon, 673 A.2d 866 (Pa. 1996).

United States v. Andrew F. Galo, 239 F.3d 572 (3rd Cir. 2001). “Finally, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126, “Indecent assault,” provides that “[a] person who has indecent contact with the complainant or causes the complainant to have indecent contact with the person is guilty of indecent assault if [ ] the person does so without the complainant’s…”

Commonwealth v. Islas, 156 A.3d 1185 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017). “§ 3126(a)(7) (graded as a first-degree misdemeanor); 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(1). 2 . The Court approvingly described Forbes as reflecting that there is no absolute right to withdraw a guilty plea; trial courts have discretion in determining whether a withdrawal request will be…”

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(1)(ii) — 1 case

Com. v. Pagan, C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(2) — 57 cases

Aguilar v. Attorney Gen. of the United States, 663 F.3d 692 (3rd Cir. 2011).

Commonwealth v. Owens, 649 A.2d 129 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1994).

Commonwealth v. Muniz, J., Aplt., 164 A.3d 1189 (Pa. 2017).

Commonwealth v. Jackson, 111 A.3d 1187 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

Commonwealth v. Morales, 40 Pa. D. & C.4th 456 (1998).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(2)(3) — 1 case

Com. v. Jenkins, W. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(3) — 9 cases

Commonwealth v. Hanawalt, 615 A.2d 432 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1992).

Com. v. Thompson, D. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Ellison, S. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Com. v. Lane, E. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Com. v. Ramos, A. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(4) — 19 cases

Commonwealth v. Schrader, 141 A.3d 558 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Commonwealth v. Young, 695 A.2d 414 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1997).

Com. v. Jefferson, K. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023).

Com. v. Bird, M. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Williams, A. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(6) — 13 cases

Commonwealth v. Provenzano, 50 A.3d 148 (Pa. 2012). “Consequently, upon remand the trial court is empowered to impose a sentence on only *158 one count of indecent assault as defined under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126. ¶ 28 Convictions affirmed.”

Commonwealth v. Woodruff, 135 A.3d 1045 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “1(a)(1) (requiring a ten-year registration period for any person convicted of 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126 “where the offense is graded as a misdemeanor of the first degree or higher”) (expired December 20, 2012).”

Commonwealth v. Owens, 649 A.2d 129 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1994).

Com v. T.J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Com. v. Colton, P. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(7) — 300 cases

Commonwealth v. Strafford, 194 A.3d 168 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018). “4 The Commonwealth through this petition sought to have the court permit the introduction at bar of certain verbal and nonverbal hearsay statements of the eight (8) year old, minor complainant (hereinafter described as "S.C.," "complainant," and/or "minor complainant").”

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Shower, W., 147 A.3d 517 (Pa. 2016). “§ 3125(a)(7), and indecent assault, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(7). The Commonwealth and Shower entered into a plea agreement.”

Commonwealth v. Leatherby, 116 A.3d 73 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(7)(ii) — 1 case

Com. v. Lee, D. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(8) — 98 cases

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Shower, W., 147 A.3d 517 (Pa. 2016). “§ 3125(a)(7), and indecent assault, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(7). The Commonwealth and Shower entered into a plea agreement.”

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Farabaugh, R., 128 A.3d 1191 (Pa. 2015). “Relevant to this appeal, Act 19 added the following provision, in pertinent part: “For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘sexually violent offense’ I shall not include I [a] conviction under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126 (relating to indecent assault) where the crime is graded as a…”

Commonwealth v. Hainesworth, 82 A.3d 444 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2013).

Commonwealth v. Weimer, 167 A.3d 78 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(l) — 11 cases

Commonwealth v. Morales, 40 Pa. D. & C.4th 456 (1998).

Com. v. Pinchock, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Shlewiet, B. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Turner, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

Commonwealth v. Pettiford, 10 Pa. D. & C.4th 413 (1991).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(a)(t) — 1 case

Com. v. Walls, D., Sr. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(aX1) — 2 cases

Com. v. Turner, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

Com. v. Shlewiet, B. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(b) — 7 cases

Com. v. Crenshaw, E., 306 A.3d 383 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023).

Commonwealth v. Young, 695 A.2d 414 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1997).

Com. v. H.C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

Com. v. Haliday, A. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(b)(1) — 8 cases

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Shower, W., 147 A.3d 517 (Pa. 2016). “§ 3125(a)(7), and indecent assault, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(7). The Commonwealth and Shower entered into a plea agreement.”

Commonwealth v. Bundy, 96 A.3d 390 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Martinez, G. (Pa. 2016).

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Grace, A. (Pa. 2016).

Com. v. Bower, M., Jr. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(b)(3) — 10 cases

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Shower, W., 147 A.3d 517 (Pa. 2016). “§ 3125(a)(7), and indecent assault, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3126(a)(7). The Commonwealth and Shower entered into a plea agreement.”

Com. v. Acevedo, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025).

Com. v. Reyes, T., 2025 Pa. Super. 284 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025).

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Martinez, G. (Pa. 2016).

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Grace, A. (Pa. 2016).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(b)(3)(II) — 1 case

In the Int. of: T.L.B., a Minor Appeal of: Com., 127 A.3d 813 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(b)(3)(ii) — 8 cases

In the Interest of: D.P., Appeal of: D.P., 233 A.3d 847 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

In the Interest of: D.P., Appeal of: D.P., 2020 Pa. Super. 131 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

In the Int. of: C.N.S., a Minor (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

Com. v. Sanchez, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Com. v. Oyler, T. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(b)(3)(iii) — 2 cases

Com. v. Baca, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Hale, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(b)(3)(n) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Kelly, 102 A.3d 1025 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3126(c) — 1 case

T. Mcgee v. Pbpp (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2018).

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.