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Legal Information: New Hampshire

Statutes: New Hampshire

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Updated: 
August 9, 2023

631:2. Second Degree Assault

I. A person is guilty of a class B felony if he or she:
(a) Knowingly or recklessly causes serious bodily injury to another; or
(b) Recklessly causes bodily injury to another by means of a deadly weapon, except that if the deadly weapon is a firearm, he or she shall be sentenced in accordance with RSA 651:2, II-g; or
(c) Recklessly causes bodily injury to another under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life; or
(d) Purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury to a child under 13 years of age; or
(e) Recklessly or negligently causes injury to another resulting in miscarriage or stillbirth; or
(f) Purposely or knowingly engages in the strangulation of another.
II. In this section:
(a) “Miscarriage” means the interruption of the normal development of the fetus other than by a live birth and not an induced abortion, resulting in the complete expulsion or extraction of a fetus.
(b) “Stillbirth” means the death of a fetus prior to complete expulsion or extraction and not an induced abortion.
(c) “Strangulation” means the application of pressure to another person’s throat or neck, or the blocking of the person’s nose or mouth, that causes the person to experience impeded breathing or blood circulation or a change in voice.
III. (a) Upon proof that the victim and defendant were intimate partners or family or household members, as those terms are defined in RSA 631:2-b, III, a conviction under this section shall be recorded as “second degree assault-domestic violence.”
(b) In addition to any other penalty authorized by law, the court shall levy a fine of $50 for each conviction recorded as “second degree assault-domestic violence” under this paragraph. The court shall not reduce or suspend any sentence or the payment of any fine imposed under this paragraph and no fine imposed under this paragraph shall be subject to an additional penalty assessment. If the court determines that the defendant is unable to pay the fine on the date imposed, the court may defer payment or order periodic payments thereof. The clerk shall forward all fines collected under this paragraph to the department of health and human services for the purposes of RSA 173-B:15. The provisions of RSA 618:8 and RSA 618:9 shall not apply to a fine imposed under this paragraph.