Assault suspect caught in victim's home during Zoom hearing

People confuse battery and assault when physical harm is involved because, in common usage, “assault” implies physical violence. However, in a traditional legal context: Assault is the threat or attempt to inflict imminent physical harm, which puts the victim in reasonable fear of contact, but does not require actual physical contact. Battery is the actual, intentional, and unlawful physical contact or use of force against another person without their consent. The confusion stems from several ke