Pennsylvania § 2701 Simple assault

Pennsylvania Statutes

§ 2701 — Simple assault

Pennsylvania § 2701

Title 18CRIMES AND OFFENSES

PartPART II

Ch. 27ASSAULT

This text of Pennsylvania § 2701 (Simple assault) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2701 (2026).

Text

(a)Offense defined.--Except as provided under section 2702 (relating to aggravated assault), a person is guilty of assault if he:

(1)attempts to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another;

(2)negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon;

(3)attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or

(4)conceals or attempts to conceal a hypodermic needle on his person and intentionally or knowingly penetrates a law enforcement officer or an officer or an employee of a correctional institution, county jail or prison, detention facility or mental hospital during the course of an arrest or any search of the person.

(b)Grading.--Simple assault is a misdemeanor of the second degree unless committed:

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(a) Offense defined.--Except as provided under section 2702 (relating to aggravated assault), a person is guilty of assault if he:

(1) attempts to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another;

(2) negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon;

(3) attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or

(4) conceals or attempts to conceal a hypodermic needle on his person and intentionally or knowingly penetrates a law enforcement officer or an officer or an employee of a correctional institution, county jail or prison, detention facility or mental hospital during the course of an arrest or any search of the person.

(b) Grading.--Simple assault is a misdemeanor of the second degree unless committed:

(1) in a fight or scuffle entered into by mutual consent, in which case it is a misdemeanor of the third degree; or

(2) against a child under 12 years of age by a person 18 years of age or older, in which case it is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Legislative History

(Dec. 19, 1988, P.L.1275, No.158, eff. 60 days; June 22, 2001, P.L.605, No.48, eff. 60 days; Dec. 9, 2002, P.L.1391, No.172, eff. 60 days; Dec. 18, 2013, P.L.1198, No.118, eff. Jan. 1, 2014) 2013 Amendment.Act 118 amended subsecs. (a) and (b)(2). Cross References.Section 2701 is referred to in sections 2709.1, 2711, 2712, 6105.1, 9158 of this title; sections 5329, 6711 of Title 23 (Domestic Relations); sections 5920, 9720.8, 9774.1 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); section 2303 of Title 44 (Law and Justice); sections 4503, 4601 of Title 61 (Prisons and Parole).