Assault And Domestic Violence
MCL 750.81 — the misdemeanor, the household, and the weapon
| The offense | The maximum |
|---|---|
| The offenseAssault, or assault and battery | The maximum93 days, a fine of $500, or both |
| The offenseThe same against a spouse or former spouse, a dating partner, someone they have a child with, or a current or former household member | The maximum93 days, a fine of $500, or both |
| The offenseThe same, with 1 prior conviction for assaulting someone in that group | The maximum1 year, a fine of $1,000, or both |
| The offenseThe same, with 2 or more such prior convictions | The maximumA felony: 5 years, a fine of $5,000, or both |
| The offenseFelonious assault: an assault with a gun, knife, club or other dangerous weapon | The maximumA felony: 4 years, a fine of $2,000, or both |
Assaulting someone the person knows is pregnant carries the same penalties and the same climb with prior convictions. Assaulting a health professional or medical volunteer on duty raises the fine, to $1,000 for a simple assault and $4,000 for a felonious one, except where the defendant is a patient being treated by the victim.
The section defines a dating relationship as frequent, intimate associations primarily characterized by the expectation of affectional involvement. It does not include a casual relationship or an ordinary fraternization between 2 people in a business or social context.
A weapon in a school zone. Felonious assault in a weapon free school zone, meaning school property or a vehicle a school uses to carry students, is punishable by 1 or more of up to 4 years, up to 150 hours of community service, and a fine of up to $6,000.
Other assault offenses with higher penalties are separate sections of the penal code, and self defense has its own act. Neither is covered here.
Sources for this section (2)
- MCL 750.81 — Assault, assault and battery, and domestic assault
- MCL 750.82 — Felonious assault
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.