California Legal Codes and Statutes

§ 240

An assault is an unlawful attempt, coupled with a present ability, to commit a violent injury on the person of another.

Cite this section

Cal. Pen. Code § 240 (2026)
https://ca.codecond.com/codes/pen/part-1-of-crimes-and-punishments/title-8-of-crimes-against-the-person/chapter-9-assault-and-battery/section-240

Other sections in Chapter 9 - Assault and Battery

§ 240§ 241§ 241.1§ 241.2§ 241.3§ 241.4§ 241.5§ 241.6§ 241.7§ 241.8…§ 245.2§ 245.3§ 245.5§ 245.6§ 246§ 246.1§ 246.3§ 247§ 247.5§ 248

This content is for reference, learning, and study purposes only. All legal text should be verified against the official California Legislative Information website, which is the authoritative source for California law. Data last processed: February 14, 2026.