California legal term
Serious harm in California Criminal Law
Current through 2026 California legislative session
In California criminal law, “Serious harm” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the California criminal code.
What does “Serious harm” mean in California criminal law?
“Serious harm” includes any harm, whether physical or nonphysical, including psychological, financial, or reputational harm, that is sufficiently serious, under all the surrounding circumstances, to compel a reasonable person of the same background and in the same circumstances to perform or to continue performing labor, services, or commercial sexual acts in order to avoid incurring that harm. (Cal. Penal Code § 236.1)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.