---
title: "What is the difference between assault and assault with a dangerous weapon in Rhode Island?"
description: "Simple assault in Rhode Island is a misdemeanor prosecuted in District Court and carries a maximum of one year in the ACI. It covers threats, attempted batteries, and unwanted contact that does not..."
url: https://bankandmunns.com/faq-items/what-is-the-difference-between-assault-and-assault-with-a-dangerous-weapon-in-rhode-island/
date: 2026-04-22
modified: 2026-04-22
author: "Bank and Munns"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# What is the difference between assault and assault with a dangerous weapon in Rhode Island?

Simple assault in Rhode Island is a misdemeanor prosecuted in District Court and carries a maximum of one year in the ACI. It covers threats, attempted batteries, and unwanted contact that does not involve a weapon. Assault with a dangerous weapon is a felony under the Rhode Island General Laws § 11-5 series, prosecuted in Superior Court, and carries multi-year prison exposure. The state does not have to prove any actual injury to win an ADW case - only that you used, brandished, or threatened with an object capable of causing serious harm. That single element, the weapon, is what turns a misdemeanor push-and-shove into a felony indictment. A Rhode Island assault with a dangerous weapon lawyer focuses heavily on whether the object really qualifies as a dangerous weapon and whether the alleged threat rose to the level of placing the complainant in reasonable fear of imminent harm.