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Texas Penal Code 22.02 – Aggravated Assault

(a) A person commits an offense if the person commits assault as defined in Sec. 22.01 and the person:
(1) causes serious bodily injury to another, including the person’s spouse; or
(2) uses or exhibits a deadly weapon during the commission of the assault.
(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree, except that the offense is a felony of the first degree if:
(1) the actor uses a deadly weapon during the commission of the assault and causes:
(A) serious bodily injury to a person whose relationship to or association with the defendant is described by § 71.0021(b), 71.003, or 71.005, Family Code; or
(B) a traumatic brain or spine injury to another that results in a persistent vegetative state or irreversible paralysis;
(2) regardless of whether the offense is committed under Subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2), the offense is committed:
(A) by a public servant acting under color of the servant’s office or employment;
(B) against a person the actor knows is a public servant while the public servant is lawfully discharging an official duty, or in retaliation or on account of an exercise of official power or performance of an official duty as a public servant;
(C) in retaliation against or on account of the service of another as a witness, prospective witness, informant, or person who has reported the occurrence of a crime;
(D) against a person the actor knows is a process server while the person is performing a duty as a process server; or
(E) against a person the actor knows is a security officer while the officer is performing a duty as a security officer;
(3) the actor is in a motor vehicle, as defined by § 501.002, Transportation Code, and:
(A) knowingly discharges a firearm at or in the direction of a habitation, building, or vehicle;
(B) is reckless as to whether the habitation, building, or vehicle is occupied; and
(C) in discharging the firearm, causes serious bodily injury to any person; or
(4) the actor commits the assault as part of a mass shooting.

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Terms Used In Texas Penal Code 22.02

  • Actor: means a person whose criminal responsibility is in issue in a criminal action. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Another: means a person other than the actor. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Association: means a government or governmental subdivision or agency, trust, partnership, or two or more persons having a joint or common economic interest. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Bodily injury: means physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Deadly weapon: means :
    (A) a firearm or anything manifestly designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting death or serious bodily injury; or
    (B) anything that in the manner of its use or intended use is capable of causing death or serious bodily injury. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Felony: means an offense so designated by law or punishable by death or confinement in a penitentiary. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Government: means :
    (A) the state;
    (B) a county, municipality, or political subdivision of the state; or
    (C) any branch or agency of the state, a county, municipality, or political subdivision. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Mass shooting: means a person's discharge of a firearm to cause serious bodily injury or death, or to attempt to cause serious bodily injury or death, to four or more persons:
    (A) during the same criminal transaction; or
    (B) during different criminal transactions but pursuant to the same scheme or course of conduct. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Person: means an individual or a corporation, association, limited liability company, or other entity or organization governed by the Business Organizations Code. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Public servant: means a person elected, selected, appointed, employed, or otherwise designated as one of the following, even if he has not yet qualified for office or assumed his duties:
    (A) an officer, employee, or agent of government;
    (B) a juror or grand juror; or
    (C) an arbitrator, referee, or other person who is authorized by law or private written agreement to hear or determine a cause or controversy; or
    (D) an attorney at law or notary public when participating in the performance of a governmental function; or
    (E) a candidate for nomination or election to public office; or
    (F) a person who is performing a governmental function under a claim of right although he is not legally qualified to do so. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Serious bodily injury: means bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or that causes death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ. See Texas Penal Code 1.07

(c) The actor is presumed to have known the person assaulted was a public servant or a security officer if the person was wearing a distinctive uniform or badge indicating the person’s employment as a public servant or status as a security officer.
(d) In this section:
(1) “Process server” has the meaning assigned by § 156.001, Government Code.
(2) “Security officer” means a commissioned security officer as defined by § 1702.002, Occupations Code, or a noncommissioned security officer registered under § 1702.221, Occupations Code.

Texas Penal Code 22.02 – Aggravated Assault

(a) A person commits an offense if the person commits assault as defined in Sec. 22.01 and the person:
(1) causes serious bodily injury to another, including the person’s spouse; or
(2) uses or exhibits a deadly weapon during the commission of the assault.
(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree, except that the offense is a felony of the first degree if:
(1) the actor uses a deadly weapon during the commission of the assault and causes:
(A) serious bodily injury to a person whose relationship to or association with the defendant is described by § 71.0021(b), 71.003, or 71.005, Family Code; or
(B) a traumatic brain or spine injury to another that results in a persistent vegetative state or irreversible paralysis;
(2) regardless of whether the offense is committed under Subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2), the offense is committed:
(A) by a public servant acting under color of the servant’s office or employment;
(B) against a person the actor knows is a public servant while the public servant is lawfully discharging an official duty, or in retaliation or on account of an exercise of official power or performance of an official duty as a public servant;
(C) in retaliation against or on account of the service of another as a witness, prospective witness, informant, or person who has reported the occurrence of a crime;
(D) against a person the actor knows is a process server while the person is performing a duty as a process server; or
(E) against a person the actor knows is a security officer while the officer is performing a duty as a security officer;
(3) the actor is in a motor vehicle, as defined by § 501.002, Transportation Code, and:
(A) knowingly discharges a firearm at or in the direction of a habitation, building, or vehicle;
(B) is reckless as to whether the habitation, building, or vehicle is occupied; and
(C) in discharging the firearm, causes serious bodily injury to any person; or
(4) the actor commits the assault as part of a mass shooting.

Have a question? Click here to chat with a criminal defense lawyer and protect your rights.

Terms Used In Texas Penal Code 22.02

  • Actor: means a person whose criminal responsibility is in issue in a criminal action. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Another: means a person other than the actor. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Association: means a government or governmental subdivision or agency, trust, partnership, or two or more persons having a joint or common economic interest. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Bodily injury: means physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Deadly weapon: means :
    (A) a firearm or anything manifestly designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting death or serious bodily injury; or
    (B) anything that in the manner of its use or intended use is capable of causing death or serious bodily injury. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Felony: means an offense so designated by law or punishable by death or confinement in a penitentiary. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Government: means :
    (A) the state;
    (B) a county, municipality, or political subdivision of the state; or
    (C) any branch or agency of the state, a county, municipality, or political subdivision. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Mass shooting: means a person's discharge of a firearm to cause serious bodily injury or death, or to attempt to cause serious bodily injury or death, to four or more persons:
    (A) during the same criminal transaction; or
    (B) during different criminal transactions but pursuant to the same scheme or course of conduct. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Person: means an individual or a corporation, association, limited liability company, or other entity or organization governed by the Business Organizations Code. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Public servant: means a person elected, selected, appointed, employed, or otherwise designated as one of the following, even if he has not yet qualified for office or assumed his duties:
    (A) an officer, employee, or agent of government;
    (B) a juror or grand juror; or
    (C) an arbitrator, referee, or other person who is authorized by law or private written agreement to hear or determine a cause or controversy; or
    (D) an attorney at law or notary public when participating in the performance of a governmental function; or
    (E) a candidate for nomination or election to public office; or
    (F) a person who is performing a governmental function under a claim of right although he is not legally qualified to do so. See Texas Penal Code 1.07
  • Serious bodily injury: means bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or that causes death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ. See Texas Penal Code 1.07

(c) The actor is presumed to have known the person assaulted was a public servant or a security officer if the person was wearing a distinctive uniform or badge indicating the person’s employment as a public servant or status as a security officer.
(d) In this section:
(1) “Process server” has the meaning assigned by § 156.001, Government Code.
(2) “Security officer” means a commissioned security officer as defined by § 1702.002, Occupations Code, or a noncommissioned security officer registered under § 1702.221, Occupations Code.