Washington statute
RCW 9A.36.070 — Coercion
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 9A.36: Assault—Physical Harm, Revised Code of Washington.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of RCW 9A.36.070
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.
(1) A person is guilty of coercion if by use of a threat he or she compels or induces a person to engage in conduct which the latter has a legal right to abstain from, or to abstain from conduct which he or she has a legal right to engage in.
(2) "Threat" as used in this section means:
(a) To communicate, directly or indirectly, the intent immediately to use force against any person who is present at the time; or
(b) Threats as defined in *RCW 9A.04.110(27) (a), (b), or (c).
(3) Coercion is a gross misdemeanor.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is coercion a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?
Coercion is a Gross Misdemeanor in Washington under RCW 9A.36.070.
Which Washington statute covers coercion?
Coercion is governed by RCW 9A.36.070 (Coercion).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.