Florida legal term
Violence in Florida Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Florida legislative session
In Florida criminal law, “Violence” 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 Florida criminal code.
What does “Violence” mean in Florida criminal law?
“Violence” means any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, or false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death, by a person against any other person.(b) “Repeat violence” means two incidents of violence or stalking committed by the respondent, one of which must have been within 6 months of the filing of the petition, which are directed against the petitioner or the petitioner’s immediate family member.(c) “Sexual violence” means any one incident of:1. (Fla. Stat. § 784.046)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
- Aircraft piracy; penalty
- Assault
- Criminal anarchy, Communism, and other specified doctrines; prohibitions
- Duty to report sexual battery; penalties
- Exploitation of a person 65 years of age or older
- False reports concerning planting a bomb, explosive, or weapon of mass destruction in, or committing arson against, state-owned property, or concerning the use of firearms in a violent manner; penalty; reward
- Fighting or baiting animals; offenses; penalties
- Paramilitary training; teaching or participation prohibited
- Report of initial treatment of burn injuries; penalty for failure to report
- Report of medical treatment of certain wounds; penalty for failure to report
- Resisting, obstructing, or opposing by offering or doing violence to legally authorized person, police canine, or police horse
- Resisting officer without violence to his or her person
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.