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Arkansas · Snapshot open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-17

Ark. Code Ann. § 5-13-203: Battery in the third degree

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. AR Code
  2. Title 5
  3. Chapter 13
  4. Subchapter 2

(a) A person commits battery in the third degree if: (1) With the purpose of causing physical injury to another person, the person causes physical injury to any person; (2) The person recklessly causes physical injury to another person; (3) The person negligently causes physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon; (4) The person purposely causes stupor, unconsciousness, or physical or mental impairment or injury to another person by administering to the other person, without the other person's consent, any drug or other substance; or (5) The person knowingly causes physical contact with a first responder by spitting, throwing, or otherwise transferring bodily fluids, pathogens, or human waste onto the person of the first responder. (b) (1) Battery in the third degree under subdivisions (a)(1)-(4) of this section is a Class A misdemeanor. (2) Battery in the third degree under subdivision (a)(5) of this section is a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory fine of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) and a mandatory minimum sentence of at least thirty (30) days of imprisonment for which the defendant is required to serve at least thirty (30) days before being released from imprisonment. Amended by Act 2021, No. 1014,§ 2, eff. 7/28/2021. Acts 1975, No. 280, § 1603; A.S.A. 1947, § 41-1603.

(a) A person commits battery in the third degree if: (1) With the purpose of causing physical injury to another person, the person causes physical injury to any person; (2) The person recklessly causes physical injury to another person; (3) The person negligently causes physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon; (4) The person purposely causes stupor, unconsciousness, or physical or mental impairment or injury to another person by administering to the other person, without the other person's consent, any drug or other substance; or (5) The person knowingly causes physical contact with a first responder by spitting, throwing, or otherwise transferring bodily fluids, pathogens, or human waste onto the person of the first responder.

(1) With the purpose of causing physical injury to another person, the person causes physical injury to any person;

(2) The person recklessly causes physical injury to another person;

(3) The person negligently causes physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon;

(4) The person purposely causes stupor, unconsciousness, or physical or mental impairment or injury to another person by administering to the other person, without the other person's consent, any drug or other substance; or

(5) The person knowingly causes physical contact with a first responder by spitting, throwing, or otherwise transferring bodily fluids, pathogens, or human waste onto the person of the first responder.

(b) (1) Battery in the third degree under subdivisions (a)(1)-(4) of this section is a Class A misdemeanor. (2) Battery in the third degree under subdivision (a)(5) of this section is a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory fine of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) and a mandatory minimum sentence of at least thirty (30) days of imprisonment for which the defendant is required to serve at least thirty (30) days before being released from imprisonment.

(1) Battery in the third degree under subdivisions (a)(1)-(4) of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

(2) Battery in the third degree under subdivision (a)(5) of this section is a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory fine of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) and a mandatory minimum sentence of at least thirty (30) days of imprisonment for which the defendant is required to serve at least thirty (30) days before being released from imprisonment.

Collected 2026-09-17T21:35:43Z. Source file · JSON

Compilation CC BY 4.0, Open US Law (Vaquill AI). GroundRules uses only the releases published under CC BY 4.0: from v2026.09 the compilation is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0, and GroundRules does not use those releases. Each affected row names its release in its vintage label. GroundRules parsed and filtered the compilation to retain enacted text. Source · License

Arkansas electronic product files were republished by Public.Resource.Org under a public-domain mark. GroundRules uses enacted text from Release 78 only as a labeled supplement to the newer Open US Law rows. Source

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