The statute covering Domestic Violence in Mississippi is §97-3-7 which also includes the law on simple assault and aggravated assault along with the domestic violence laws.
Basically Simple Domestic Violence is a Simple Assault plus a special relationship between the perpetrator or defendant (a person charged with a crime) and the victim such as:
- current spouse of the defendant
- former spouse of the defendant
- a child of that person
- person currently living as a spouse of the defendant
- person who formerly lived as a spouse of the defendant
- child, parent, grandparent, grandchild of the defendant
- person who has a current or former dating relationship with the defendant
- person with whom the defendant has had a biological or legally adopted child
A person is guilty of Simple Domestic Violence who:
- attempts to cause or purposely, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another; OR
- negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon or other means likely to produce death or serious bodily harm; OR
- attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily harm
If a person is convicted of Simple Domestic Violence, the punishment is
- FINE of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) OR
- COUNTY JAIL for not more than six (6) months
***Simple Domestic Violence 3rd (a felony) It is important to note that if a defendant, is convicted of Simple Domestic Violence 3rd, he or she can be imprisoned from five (5) to ten (10) years.