International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEA) Criminal Law Practice Exam 2025 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success

In criminal law, battery is defined as the unlawful application of force to another person, which can include harmful or offensive touching. The action categorized as battery involves a conscious and intentional touch that causes potential harm or offense to another individual. Touching someone in an angry or rude manner clearly demonstrates intent to do so in a manner that could be deemed offensive or harmful, fulfilling the criteria of battery.

The other actions listed do not meet the legal standard for battery. Touching someone in a friendly manner and giving someone a simple greeting both imply consent and lack of harmful intent. Accidentally bumping into someone typically does not involve the intentional application of force, thus failing to constitute battery because it lacks the requisite intent and does not meet the threshold of offensive touching needed for battery.