How is battery defined in legal terminology?

In legal terminology, battery is defined as any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon another person. This definition encompasses a wide range of physical interactions where one individual intentionally applies force to another, regardless of the severity of the harm caused. The key components of this definition are the willfulness—indicating intent—and the unlawfulness, which highlights that such actions are not permissible under the law.

Understanding this definition is crucial for law enforcement support technicians, as it lays the groundwork for distinguishing between different types of physical offenses and assessing situations that may involve potential criminal behavior. It is important to recognize that battery does not require the victim to suffer significant injury; any unwanted physical contact can constitute battery if the criteria of willfulness and unlawfulness are met.

In contrast, the other options describe related but distinct concepts—such as threats without action or physical confrontations without intent—none of which encapsulate the legal definition of battery, which requires clear intent and action leading to unlawful physical contact.