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Utah Code § 76-5-102

Assault

Amended by Chapter 251, 2026 General Session

(1)

(a) As used in this section, "chokehold" means a restraining hold in which one individual encircles the neck of another individual in a viselike grip using an arm.

(b) Terms defined in Section 76-1-101.5 apply to this section.

(2) An actor commits assault if the actor:

(a) attempts, with unlawful force or violence, to inflict bodily injury on an individual; or

(b) commits an act, with unlawful force or violence, that:

(i) causes bodily injury to an individual; or

(ii) creates a substantial risk of bodily injury to an individual.

(3)

(a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), a violation of Subsection (2) is a class B misdemeanor.

(b) A violation of Subsection (2) is a class A misdemeanor if:

(i) the actor causes substantial bodily injury to an individual; or

(ii) the individual is pregnant and the actor has knowledge of the pregnancy.

(4) The fact that the actor caused serious bodily injury to an individual is not a defense to a violation of this section.

(5) This section does not apply to an actor's use of a chokehold on another individual if:

(a) the chokehold is done as part of training for, or participating in, a practice or sport in which a chokehold is a known and acceptable practice, including martial arts, wrestling, or mixed martial arts; and

(b) the other individual is also training for, or participating in, the same practice or sport in which a chokehold is a known and acceptable practice.

Official source: Utah State Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain Utah statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.