Both Missouri and Kansas have separate statutory schemes for dealing with the crimes of assault and battery.  Each of these two types of crimes is a separate offense, with a specific legal definition.  For example, under the Kansas Statutes (21-3408), assault is defined as any deliberate act or overt threat that reasonably makes a person fear for his or her safety.

For this type of assault charge, it is important to note that it involves only the “imminent fear” of bodily harm, not necessarily any harm itself.  Battery is a separate crime with its own statute.  It involves an action in which the offensive contact is actually carried out.  In actual practice, it is common for these two separate offenses to be used interchangeably, however regrettable that may be.

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