Hawaii
Hawaii Assault Laws: First, Second and Third Degree Penalties
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited October 14, 2026). · 34 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content

Hawaii has no crime called battery. Its Penal Code grades a single offense, assault, in three degrees by the injury caused and the person injured: assault in the third degree (HRS 707-712) covers intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury and is a misdemeanor, while assault in the second degree (707-711) and in the first degree (707-710) are class C and class B felonies. An offensive touching that causes no injury, done with intent to harass, annoy or alarm, is the separate petty misdemeanor of harassment (HRS 711-1106), and threats fall under terroristic threatening (707-715 to 707-717). For other states, see our guide to assault and battery laws by state.
Information last verified on 2026-10-13. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Hawaii's assault offenses in HRS chapter 707 (sections 707-700 and 707-710 to 707-718), harassment (711-1106), abuse of a family or household member (709-906), the sentencing, repeat-offender and fine sections in chapter 706, and the civil filing periods in HRS 657-7, 657-13 and 657-1.8. It does not cover self-defense and justification (see Hawaii self-defense laws), protective orders (see Hawaii restraining order laws), sexual offenses, federal assault crimes (covered on the assault and battery hub) or county ordinances.
Assault vs. battery in Hawaii
Hawaii does not split the offense into assault (a threat) and battery (a blow). None of the assault sections, HRS 707-710 through 707-718, creates or defines an offense called battery. The base offense is assault in the third degree, and HRS 707-712(1) defines it by injury:
"(1) A person commits the offense of assault in the third degree if the person: (a) Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another person; or (b) Negligently causes bodily injury to another person with a dangerous instrument."
Two other offenses fill the space a battery or threat statute covers in other states. Offensive contact without injury is harassment. Under HRS 711-1106(1)(a), a person commits harassment if, "with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm any other person, that person: (a) Strikes, shoves, kicks, or otherwise touches another person in an offensive manner or subjects the other person to offensive physical contact." Harassment is a petty misdemeanor.
Threats are terroristic threatening. Under HRS 707-715, a person commits the offense if the person "threatens, by word or conduct, to cause bodily injury to another person or serious damage or harm to property, including the pets or livestock, of another or to commit a felony: (1) With the intent to terrorize, or in reckless disregard of the risk of terrorizing, another person," or in the other circumstance the section lists. It is a misdemeanor in the second degree (707-717) and a felony in the first degree (707-716).
Is assault a felony in Hawaii?
Assault in the third degree is not. It is a misdemeanor, or a petty misdemeanor "if committed in a fight or scuffle entered into by mutual consent" (707-712(2)). The felony line starts at assault in the second degree, a class C felony. The main felony forms are:

- Class C felony: assault in the second degree (707-711), assault against a law enforcement officer in the first degree (707-712.5), habitual violent crime (707-712.2), first degree terroristic threatening in most cases (707-716), reckless endangering in the first degree (707-713), and the felony forms of family or household abuse (709-906(8) to (10)).
- Class B felony: assault in the first degree (707-710) and assault against an emergency worker during a proclaimed emergency (707-712.7).
- Class A felony: torture (707-718), a separate chapter 707 offense enacted in 2025.
Hawaii assault offenses and penalties
| Offense | Statute | What it covers | Class | Statutory penalty range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harassment (offensive touching) | HRS 711-1106(1)(a) | With intent to harass, annoy or alarm, striking, shoving, kicking or otherwise touching another person in an offensive manner, or subjecting the person to offensive physical contact | Petty misdemeanor | Up to 30 days; fine up to $1,000 |
| Assault in the third degree | 707-712 | Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury; negligently causing bodily injury with a dangerous instrument | Misdemeanor; petty misdemeanor if in a fight or scuffle entered into by mutual consent | Misdemeanor: up to 1 year, fine up to $2,000. Petty misdemeanor: up to 30 days, fine up to $1,000 |
| Assault against a law enforcement officer in the second degree | 707-712.6 | Recklessly causing bodily injury to a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of duty | Misdemeanor | At least 30 days and up to 1 year, without probation or suspension; fine up to $2,000 |
| Reckless endangering in the second degree | 707-714 | Conduct that recklessly places another person in danger of death or serious bodily injury, or intentionally discharging a firearm in a populated or residential area or toward a road (target-range exception) | Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year; fine up to $2,000 |
| Terroristic threatening in the second degree | 707-717 | Terroristic threatening other than first degree | Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year; fine up to $2,000 |
| Assault in the second degree | 707-711 | Causing substantial bodily injury (intentionally, knowingly or recklessly); recklessly causing serious bodily injury; intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury with a dangerous instrument, or to a listed protected person in the circumstances each paragraph sets | Class C felony | Up to 5 years; fine up to $10,000 |
| Assault against a law enforcement officer in the first degree | 707-712.5 | Intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury, or recklessly or negligently causing it with a dangerous instrument, to a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of duty | Class C felony | Up to 5 years; fine up to $10,000. Minimum: a 5-year indeterminate term, or 5 years of probation including at least 30 days of imprisonment |
| Habitual violent crime | 707-712.2 | Misdemeanor third degree assault, second degree assault of an officer, fourth degree sexual assault or 709-906(1) abuse, by a person with three or more qualifying convictions within five years | Class C felony | A 5-year indeterminate term with a minimum term of at least 1 year, or 5 years of probation including 1 year of imprisonment (probation only for a first conviction under this section); fine up to $10,000 |
| Reckless endangering in the first degree | 707-713 | Using widely dangerous means, or intentionally firing a firearm, in a way that recklessly places another person in danger of death or serious bodily injury | Class C felony | Up to 5 years; fine up to $10,000 |
| Terroristic threatening in the first degree | 707-716 | Terroristic threatening in listed circumstances, including against a public servant or with a dangerous instrument | Class C felony; class B with a firearm or simulated firearm in a location listed in 134-9.1(a) | Class C: up to 5 years, fine up to $10,000. Class B: up to 10 years, fine up to $25,000 |
| Assault in the first degree | 707-710 | Intentionally or knowingly causing serious bodily injury, or substantial bodily injury to a person 60 or older whose age is known or reasonably should be known | Class B felony | Up to 10 years; fine up to $25,000 |
| Assault against an emergency worker | 707-712.7 | During an emergency proclaimed by the governor or a mayor under chapter 127A, within the covered area, intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing serious or substantial bodily injury to an emergency worker, or bodily injury with a dangerous instrument | Class B felony | Up to 10 years; fine up to $25,000 |
| Torture | 707-718 | Knowingly causing serious bodily injury to a person in the actor's custody or physical control, causing serious or substantial bodily injury after a pattern or practice of physical abuse, or subjecting a minor or vulnerable person to listed acts, including strangling, on three or more occasions within two years | Class A felony | 20-year indeterminate term without probation under 706-659 (subject to the exceptions that section lists); fine up to $50,000 |
These are the ranges for the offense itself: maximums set by statute, plus the minimums the officer-assault and habitual violent crime sections require. HRS 706-606.5, 706-660.1 and 706-661 set mandatory minimums or longer terms for some repeat offenders and firearm cases, described below. Prison terms come from HRS 706-660 (class B felony, ten years; class C felony, five years), 706-659 (class A) and 706-663, which lets the court set "a definite term to be fixed by the court and not to exceed one year in the case of a misdemeanor or thirty days in the case of a petty misdemeanor." Maximum fines come from HRS 706-640(1): $50,000 (class A), $25,000 (class B), $10,000 (class C), $2,000 (misdemeanor) and $1,000 (petty misdemeanor).
Bodily injury, substantial and serious bodily injury, and dangerous instruments
The degree of assault usually turns on these definitions in HRS 707-700, which apply "In this chapter, unless a different meaning plainly is required":
"Bodily injury" means physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition.
"Substantial bodily injury" means bodily injury which causes: (1) A major avulsion, laceration, or penetration of the skin; (2) A burn of at least second degree severity; (3) A bone fracture; (4) A serious concussion; or (5) A tearing, rupture, or corrosive damage to the esophagus, viscera, or other internal organs.
"Serious bodily injury" means bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.
A "dangerous instrument" is "any firearm, whether loaded or not, and whether operable or not, or other weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate, which in the manner it is used or is intended to be used is known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury." The test turns on the manner in which the object is used or is intended to be used.
Assaulting police, health care workers, teachers and other protected people
Hawaii raises an injury that would otherwise be third degree assault to second degree assault, a class C felony, when a person intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to someone on the list in HRS 707-711(1). Each paragraph carries its own condition, which is part of the offense:
- A correctional worker "who is engaged in the performance of duty or who is within a correctional facility" (707-711(1)(c)).
- An educational worker, such as a Department of Education teacher or employee or a charter school employee, engaged in the performance of duty or within an educational facility (1)(e).
- Emergency medical services personnel and listed emergency-room staff, including physicians, nurses and technicians, engaged in the performance of duty (1)(f).
- A person employed at a state-operated or state-contracted mental health facility (1)(g).
- A person the defendant has been restrained from contacting, threatening or physically abusing by a court order under chapter 586, "including an ex parte order," or a person protected by a police officer's order under 709-906(4), during the effective period of that order (1)(h).
- A firefighter or water safety officer engaged in the performance of duty (1)(i).
- A person engaged in the performance of duty at a health care facility, including health care professionals and nurse aides (1)(j); a person providing home health care services (1)(k); and a mutual benefit society case manager while performing case management services (1)(l).
- A person who is 60 or older, where "the age of the injured person is known or reasonably should be known" (1)(m).
- A sports official engaged in the lawful discharge of the official's duties (1)(n).
- A national guard member "who is engaged in the performance of duty" (1)(o).
- A Department of Human Services protective services worker "who is engaged in the performance of the worker's duties," meaning staff who investigate or respond to reports of child abuse or neglect or abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult (1)(p).
Law enforcement officers have their own sections, and both require that the officer be "engaged in the performance of duty." HRS 701-118 defines a law enforcement officer as "any public servant, whether employed by the State or county or by the United States, vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or, to make arrests for offenses or to enforce the criminal laws." Intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to an officer, or recklessly or negligently causing it with a dangerous instrument, is a class C felony under 707-712.5, and the court "shall, at a minimum," impose either "An indeterminate term of imprisonment of five years" or "Five years probation, with conditions to include a term of imprisonment of not less than thirty days without possibility of suspension of sentence." Recklessly causing bodily injury to an officer is a misdemeanor under 707-712.6 with "a definite term of imprisonment ... of not less than thirty days without possibility of probation or suspension of sentence."
Emergency workers during a proclaimed emergency. HRS 707-712.7 makes it a class B felony, during an emergency period proclaimed by the governor or a mayor under chapter 127A and within the area the emergency covers, to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cause serious or substantial bodily injury to an emergency worker, or bodily injury with a dangerous instrument. Emergency workers under 707-700 include law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, national guard and military members on ordered duty, and people performing authorized emergency management functions.
Abuse of a family or household member
Hawaii handles domestic violence in a separate statute, HRS 709-906, rather than as an assault enhancement. Subsection (1) makes it unlawful "to physically abuse a family or household member or to refuse compliance with the lawful order of a police officer under subsection (4)." A "family or household member" includes spouses and former spouses, reciprocal beneficiaries, "persons in a dating relationship as defined under section 586-1," people with a child in common, parents, children, relatives by blood and people who live or lived in the same dwelling unit, but not people who are or were adult roommates or cohabitants "only by virtue of an economic or contractual affiliation" (709-906(19)).
| Form of the offense | Statute | Class and penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Physical abuse, or refusing a police officer's order under 709-906(4) | 709-906(1), (5) | Misdemeanor (up to 1 year, fine up to $2,000), with a minimum jail sentence of 48 hours for a first offense, and 30 days for a second offense within one year of the first conviction |
| Intentionally or knowingly striking, shoving, kicking or otherwise touching a family or household member in an offensive manner, subjecting one to offensive physical contact, or exercising coercive control as defined in 586-1 | 709-906(6) | Petty misdemeanor (up to 30 days, fine up to $1,000) |
| A third or later offense within two years of a second or subsequent conviction | 709-906(8) | Class C felony (up to 5 years, fine up to $10,000) |
| Intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury by impeding normal breathing or blood circulation through pressure on the throat or neck, blocking the nose and mouth, or pressure on the chest; visible injury not required | 709-906(9) | Class C felony (up to 5 years, fine up to $10,000) |
| Physical abuse in the presence of a minor who is a family or household member under 14 | 709-906(10) | Class C felony (up to 5 years, fine up to $10,000) |
In 2026 the Legislature passed HB 1959, which became Act 192 of 2026. It "Extends for five years certain provisions from Act 19, SLH 2020, and Act 238, SLH 2021, relating to abuse of family or household members, including establishing a petty misdemeanor offense of abuse of family or household members, clarifying penalties for violations, and allowing a deferred acceptance of guilty plea for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor abuse of family or household members offenses." Those provisions had been set to expire on June 30, 2026.
Protective orders under chapter 586 are covered in Hawaii restraining order laws; injuring a person protected by one of those orders is second degree assault under 707-711(1)(h). Separately, federal law makes it unlawful for a person "convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" to possess a firearm or ammunition in or affecting commerce (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9)); the assault and battery hub covers that rule.
Repeat offenders: habitual violent crime and repeat-offender sentencing
HRS 707-712.2 turns certain misdemeanors into a class C felony for a "habitual violent crime perpetrator," meaning a person who, "within five years of the instant offense, has convictions for any combination of three or more" listed offenses (first, second and third degree assault, the officer-assault sections, the sexual assault sections listed there and 709-906), "provided that the convictions were not for offenses categorized as petty misdemeanors." The convictions "shall be for separate incidents on separate dates." The new offense must be misdemeanor third degree assault, second degree assault against a law enforcement officer, fourth degree sexual assault or abuse of a family or household member under 709-906(1). The sentence is either a five-year indeterminate prison term with a minimum term of at least one year, or five years of probation that includes one year of imprisonment; probation is available only for a first conviction under the section (707-712.2(4)).

The section carries a sunset date. The HRS prints it as repealed on June 30, 2027; Act 155 of 2026 (HB 2078), signed June 25, 2026, extends that sunset to June 30, 2031.
Separately, HRS 706-606.5 requires a mandatory minimum prison term without parole when a person convicted of a class B felony (such as first degree assault) or of a listed class C felony (including second degree assault, first degree reckless endangering, first degree terroristic threatening and the felony forms of 709-906) has a prior qualifying felony conviction and committed the new felony within the period the section sets (for example, within ten years after a prior class B felony conviction or five years after a prior listed class C felony conviction). For a class B felony the minimum is 3 years 4 months with one prior, 6 years 8 months with two and 10 years with three or more; for a listed class C felony it is 1 year 8 months, 3 years 4 months and 5 years. A misdemeanor third degree assault committed after three prior convictions for offenses on the list in 706-606.5(5) within three years carries at least nine months of imprisonment. The court may impose a lesser minimum only where it "finds that strong mitigating circumstances warrant the action" (706-606.5(6)).
Under HRS 706-661 and 706-662, a persistent offender, meaning a person previously convicted of two or more felonies committed at different times when the person was 21 or older, may receive an extended indeterminate term of 20 years for a class B felony or 10 years for a class C felony if it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the extended term is necessary for the protection of the public. HRS 706-660.1 provides for a mandatory minimum term without parole or probation, on top of the regular term, when the person possessed, threatened to use or used a firearm while committing the felony. On a first firearm felony the court may impose up to 5 years for a class B felony and up to 3 years for a class C felony. The court must impose 6 years 8 months (class B) or 3 years 4 months (class C) for a second firearm felony, and 10 years (class B) or 5 years (class C) when the firearm was semiautomatic or automatic.
Recent changes to Hawaii assault law
- 2025, Act 8 (SB 1382): added national guard members engaged in the performance of duty to second degree assault, 707-711(1)(o).
- 2025, Act 142 (HB 1098): added protective services workers engaged in their duties to 707-711(1)(p) and made them public servants for first degree terroristic threatening.
- 2025: the class A felony of torture, HRS 707-718, was enacted (L 2025, c 147).
- 2026, Act 192 (HB 1959): extended the 2020 and 2021 family abuse provisions in 709-906 for five years, as described above.
- 2026, Act 155 (HB 2078): extends the habitual violent crime sunset in 707-712.2 to June 30, 2031.
Three 2026 bills that would have changed the elder-victim provisions of 707-710 and 707-711 (SB 2252, HB 2085 and HB 1758) went no further than committee referral.
Civil lawsuits for assault and battery
A criminal prosecution and a civil lawsuit for damages are separate cases. Hawaii's general personal injury limitations statute, HRS 657-7, does not name assault or battery, but it covers injury to persons: "Actions for the recovery of compensation for damage or injury to persons or property shall be instituted within two years after the cause of action accrued, and not after, except as provided in section 657-13." Under HRS 657-13, a person who was under 18, insane or imprisoned on a criminal charge when the claim accrued may sue within the two years after that disability is removed. HRS 657-1.8 sets a longer period for claims against the perpetrator for sexual abuse suffered as a minor: for abuse on or after July 1, 2024, up to 32 years after the 18th birthday or 5 years after the victim discovers or reasonably should have discovered that a later psychological injury or illness was caused by the abuse, whichever is later. Other sections can apply in particular cases; see the Hawaii statute of limitations guide.
Related legal issues
- Self-defense. Whether force was legally justified is a separate body of law; see Hawaii self-defense laws.
- Protective orders. See Hawaii restraining order laws.
- Clearing a record. Whether an assault arrest or conviction can be expunged is covered in Hawaii expungement laws.
Related pages
- Assault and battery laws by state
- Hawaii self-defense laws
- Hawaii restraining order laws
- Hawaii expungement laws
- Hawaii statute of limitations
This article provides general legal information about Hawaii assault law, not legal advice. Laws change, and how they apply depends on the facts. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Hawaii.
Last updated: 2026-10-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hawaii have a battery law?
No. Hawaii grades one offense, assault, in three degrees under HRS 707-710 to 707-712. Causing bodily injury is assault in the third degree, and an offensive touching without injury, done with intent to harass, annoy or alarm, is harassment under HRS 711-1106(1)(a).
Is assault a felony in Hawaii?
Assault in the third degree is a misdemeanor (a petty misdemeanor in a mutual-consent fight or scuffle). Assault in the second degree is a class C felony (up to 5 years) and assault in the first degree is a class B felony (up to 10 years); repeat-offender rules (HRS 706-606.5, 706-661) can require minimum prison terms or allow longer ones.
What is the penalty for third degree assault in Hawaii?
As a misdemeanor, up to 1 year in jail (HRS 706-663) and a fine of up to $2,000 (HRS 706-640). If it was committed in a fight or scuffle entered into by mutual consent, it is a petty misdemeanor: up to 30 days and a fine of up to $1,000.
What is the difference between first, second and third degree assault in Hawaii?
Mainly the injury. Third degree requires bodily injury (physical pain, illness or any impairment of physical condition); second degree includes substantial bodily injury such as a bone fracture or second-degree burn, a dangerous instrument, or a listed protected victim; first degree requires intentionally or knowingly causing serious bodily injury, or substantial bodily injury to a person 60 or older whose age is known or reasonably should be known.
What happens if you assault a police officer in Hawaii?
Intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of duty is a class C felony with a minimum of a 5-year indeterminate term or 5 years of probation including at least 30 days of imprisonment (HRS 707-712.5). Recklessly causing bodily injury to an officer engaged in the performance of duty is a misdemeanor with at least 30 days and no probation (707-712.6).
Is assaulting a nurse a felony in Hawaii?
Intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a person engaged in the performance of duty at a health care facility, or to emergency medical services personnel or emergency-room staff such as nurses engaged in the performance of duty, is assault in the second degree, a class C felony (HRS 707-711(1)(f), (j)).
Is it a felony to hit a referee or sports official in Hawaii?
Intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a sports official engaged in the lawful discharge of the official's duties is assault in the second degree, a class C felony (HRS 707-711(1)(n)).
Is strangling a family member a felony in Hawaii?
Yes. Under HRS 709-906(9), abuse of a family or household member that consists of intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury by impeding normal breathing or blood circulation, by pressure on the throat, neck or chest or by blocking the nose and mouth, is a class C felony, and visible injury is not required.
How long do you have to sue for assault in Hawaii?
HRS 657-7 requires actions for damage or injury to persons to be filed within two years after the cause of action accrued, with later deadlines for a person who was a minor, insane or imprisoned when the claim accrued (HRS 657-13) and for claims of sexual abuse suffered as a minor (HRS 657-1.8). Other sections can apply in particular cases.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 707: OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON
§ 707-712Assault in the third degreeIn force
(1) A person commits the offense of assault in the third degree if the person: (a) Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another person; or (b) Negligently causes bodily injury to another person with a dangerous instrument. (2) Assault in the third degree is a misdemeanor unless committed in a fight or scuffle entered into by mutual consent, in which case it is a petty misdemeanor. [L 1972, c 9, pt of §1; gen ch 1993]
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at capitol.hawaii.gov
§ 707-711Assault in the second degreeIn force
(1) A person commits the offense of assault in the second degree if the person: (a) Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes substantial bodily injury to another; (b) Recklessly causes serious bodily injury to another; (c) Intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to a correctional worker, as defined in section 710-1031(2), who is engaged in the performance of duty or who is within a correctional facility; (d) Intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to another with a dangerous instrument; (e) Intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to an educational worker who is engaged in the performance of duty or who is within an educational facility.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at capitol.hawaii.gov
§ 707-710Assault in the first degreeIn force
(1) A person commits the offense of assault in the first degree if the person intentionally or knowingly causes: (a) Serious bodily injury to another person; or (b) Substantial bodily injury to a person who is sixty years of age or older and the age of the injured person is known or reasonably should be known to the person causing the injury. (2) Assault in the first degree is a class B felony. [L 1972, c 9, pt of §1; ree L 1986, c 314, §51; gen ch 1993; am L 2021, c 147, §1]
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at capitol.hawaii.gov
§ 707-712.5Assault against a law enforcement officer in the first degreeIn force
(1) A person commits the offense of assault against a law enforcement officer in the first degree if the person: (a) Intentionally or knowingly causes bodily injury to a law enforcement officer who is engaged in the performance of duty; or (b) Recklessly or negligently causes, with a dangerous instrument, bodily injury to a law enforcement officer who is engaged in the performance of duty. (2) Assault of a law enforcement officer in the first degree is a class C felony. The court shall, at a minimum, sentence the person who has been convicted of this offense to: (a) An indeterminate term of imprisonment of five years, pursuant to section 706-660; or (b) Five years probation, with conditions to include a term of imprisonment of not less than thirty days without possibility of suspension of sentence. [L 1990, c 192, §1; am L 2003, c 66, §2]
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at capitol.hawaii.gov
§ 707-712.6Assault against a law enforcement officer in the second degreeIn force
(1) A person commits the offense of assault against a law enforcement officer in the second degree if the person recklessly causes bodily injury to a law enforcement officer who is engaged in the performance of duty. (2) Assault of a law enforcement officer in the second degree is a misdemeanor. The court shall sentence the person who has been convicted of this offense to a definite term of imprisonment, pursuant to section 706-663, of not less than thirty days without possibility of probation or suspension of sentence. [L 2003, c 66, §1]
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at capitol.hawaii.gov
§ 707-700Definitions of terms in this chapterIn force
In this chapter, unless a different meaning plainly is required: "Bodily injury" means physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. "Compulsion" means absence of consent, or a threat, express or implied, that places a person in fear of public humiliation, property damage, or financial loss. "Dangerous instrument" means any firearm, whether loaded or not, and whether operable or not, or other weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate, which in the manner it is used or is intended to be used is known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury. "Deviate sexual intercourse" means any act of sexual gratification between a person and an animal or a corpse, involving the sex organs of one and the mouth, anus, or sex organs of the other.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at capitol.hawaii.gov
Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 711: OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER
§ 711-1106HarassmentIn force
(1) A person commits the offense of harassment if, with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm any other person, that person: (a) Strikes, shoves, kicks, or otherwise touches another person in an offensive manner or subjects the other person to offensive physical contact; (b) Insults, taunts, or challenges another person in a manner likely to provoke an immediate violent response or that would cause the other person to reasonably believe that the actor intends to cause bodily injury to the recipient or another or damage to the property of the recipient or another; (c) Repeatedly makes telephone calls, facsimile transmissions, or any form of electronic communication as defined in section 711-1111(2), including electronic mail transmissions, without purpose of legitimate communication; (d) Repeatedly makes a communication anonymously or at an extremely inconvenient hour; (e) Repeatedly makes communications, after being advised by the person to whom the communication is directed that further communication is unwelcome; or (f) Makes a communication using offensively coarse language that would cause the recipient to reasonably believe that the actor intends to cause bodily injury to…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at capitol.hawaii.gov
Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 706: DISPOSITION OF CONVICTED DEFENDANTS
§ 706-663Sentence of imprisonment for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanorIn forcecited in 6 of our articles
After consideration of the factors set forth in sections 706-606 and 706-621, the court may sentence a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor or a petty misdemeanor to imprisonment for a definite term to be fixed by the court and not to exceed one year in the case of a misdemeanor or thirty days in the case of a petty misdemeanor. [L 1972, c 9, pt of §1; am L 1986, c 314, §41; am L 2016, c 217, §§2, 8]
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at capitol.hawaii.gov
Cited in 38 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2022
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State v. Sprattling (Hawaii Supreme Court 2002, 99 Haw. 312)“…ment. See HRS § 707-712(1)(b) (1993), see supra note 1; HRS § 706-663 (1993). [6] Moreover, inasmuch as the…”
- State v. Murray (Hawaii Supreme Court 2007, 116 Haw. 3)“…a misdemeanor, may be imprisoned for up to one year, (see HRS § 706-663 (Supp.1992)), the court had a duty to…”
- State v. Kaulia (Hawaii Supreme Court 2013, 128 Haw. 479)“…D PACIFIC REPORTER*** of one year. HRS § 707-712(2); HRS § 706-663 (1993).19 He therefore had a…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Hawaii Age of Consent Laws: Statutes, Penalties and Reporting, Hawaii Jury Duty Laws: $50 Pay, Exemptions and Employer Rules, Hawaii Smart Glasses Recording Laws (2026)
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Sources and References
- HRS 707-712, Assault in the third degree(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-711, Assault in the second degree(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-710, Assault in the first degree(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 711-1106, Harassment(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-715, Terroristic threatening, defined(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-717, Terroristic threatening in the second degree(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-716, Terroristic threatening in the first degree(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-712.5, Assault against a law enforcement officer in the first degree(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-712.2, Habitual violent crime(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-713, Reckless endangering in the first degree(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 709-906, Abuse of family or household members(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-712.7, Assault against an emergency worker(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-718, Torture(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-712.6, Assault against a law enforcement officer in the second degree(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-714, Reckless endangering in the second degree(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 706-659, Sentence of imprisonment for class A felony(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 706-660, Sentence of imprisonment for class B and C felonies(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 706-663, Sentence of imprisonment for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 706-640, Authorized fines(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 707-700, Definitions of terms in this chapter(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 701-118, General definitions (law enforcement officer)(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HB 1959 (2026), Act 192, measure status(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9), Unlawful acts(www.govinfo.gov).gov
- HB 2078 (2026), Act 155, measure status(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- SB 1382 (2025), Act 8, measure status(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HB 1098 (2025), Act 142, measure status(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- SB 2252 (2026), measure status(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 657-7, Damage to persons or property(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 706-606.5, Sentencing of repeat offenders(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 706-660.1, Sentence of imprisonment for use of a firearm, semiautomatic firearm, or automatic firearm in a felony(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 706-661, Extended terms of imprisonment(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 706-662, Criteria for extended terms of imprisonment(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 657-13, Infancy, insanity, imprisonment(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
- HRS 657-1.8, Civil action arising from sexual offenses(www.capitol.hawaii.gov).gov
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