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RSA 631:4 · Criminal Threatening

Title
LXII: CRIMINAL CODE
Chapter
631 · ASSAULT AND RELATED OFFENSES
Status
current
Official source linked
Yes
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631:4 Criminal Threatening. –

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I.

A person is guilty of criminal threatening when:

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(a)

By physical conduct, the person purposely places or attempts to place another in fear of imminent bodily injury or physical contact; or

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(b)

The person places any object or graffiti on the property of another with a purpose to coerce or terrorize any person; or

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(c)

The person threatens to commit any crime against the property of another with a purpose to coerce or terrorize any person; or

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(d)

The person threatens to commit any crime against the person of another with a purpose to terrorize any person; or

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(e)

The person threatens to commit any crime of violence, or threatens the delivery or use of a biological or chemical substance, with a purpose to cause evacuation of a building, place of assembly, facility of public transportation or otherwise to cause serious public inconvenience, or in reckless disregard of causing such fear, terror or inconvenience; or

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(f)

The person delivers, threatens to deliver, or causes the delivery of any substance the actor knows could be perceived as a biological or chemical substance, to another person with the purpose of causing fear or terror, or in reckless disregard of causing such fear or terror.

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II.

(a) Criminal threatening is a class B felony if the person:

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(1)

Violates the provisions of subparagraph I(e); or

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(2)

Uses a deadly weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V in the violation of the provisions of subparagraph I(a), I(b), I(c), or I(d).

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(b)

All other criminal threatening is a misdemeanor.

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III.

(a) As used in this section, "property" has the same meaning as in RSA 637:2, I; "property of another" has the same meaning as in RSA 637:2, IV.

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(b)

As used in this section, "terrorize" means to cause alarm, fright, or dread; the state of mind induced by the apprehension of hurt from some hostile or threatening event or manifestation.

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IV.

A person who responds to a threat which would be considered by a reasonable person as likely to cause serious bodily injury or death to the person or to another by displaying a firearm or other means of self-defense with the intent to warn away the person making the threat shall not have committed a criminal act under this section. Source. 1971, 518:1. 1983, 338:1. 1994, 187:2. 1996, 92:1. 2002, 222:7. 2003, 69:1. 2010, 361:2, eff. Jan. 1, 2011.

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Source note

Source. 1971, 518:1. 1983, 338:1. 1994, 187:2. 1996, 92:1. 2002, 222:7. 2003, 69:1. 2010, 361:2, eff. Jan. 1, 2011.

Source history

  • 1971, 518:1
  • 1983, 338:1
  • 1994, 187:2
  • 1996, 92:1
  • 2002, 222:7
  • 2003, 69:1
  • 2010, 361:2, eff. Jan. 1, 2011

Related materials

Bill relationships

  • 2026 HB1108 repeal · effective 2027-01-01

    criminal threatening. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 Criminal Threatening; Actions in Response to Certain Threats. RSA 631:4, IV is repealed and reenacted to read as follows: IV. A person who, in response to conduct that could reasonably be perceived by a person as likely to result in serious bodily injury, death, theft, unlawful intrusio

  • 2026 HB1108-FN repeal · effective 2027-01-01

    criminal threatening. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 Criminal Threatening; Actions in Response to Certain Threats. RSA 631:4, IV is repealed and reenacted to read as follows: IV. A person who, in response to conduct that could reasonably be perceived by a person as likely to result in serious bodily injury, death, theft, unlawful intrusio

  • 2026 HB1240 amend · effective 2027-01-01

    adly weapon during the offense of criminal threatening. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 Criminal Threatening. Amend RSA 631:4, II(a)(2) to read as follows: (2) Uses a deadly weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V, or uses what reasonably appeared to the victim to be a deadly? weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V,? in the violation of the provisio

  • 2026 HB1240-FN amend · effective 2027-01-01

    adly weapon during the offense of criminal threatening. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 Criminal Threatening. Amend RSA 631:4, II(a)(2) to read as follows: (2) Uses a deadly weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V, or uses what reasonably appeared to the victim to be a deadly? weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V,? in the violation of the provisio

  • 2026 HB1244 amend · effective 2027-01-01

    ceptions to the charge of criminal threatening. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 Criminal Trespass; Exception. Amend RSA 631:4, IV to read as follows: IV. A person who responds to a person criminally trespassing in violation of RSA 635:2 or other threat which would be considered by a reasonable person as likely to cause property damage, seri

  • 2026 HB1244-FN amend · effective 2027-01-01

    ceptions to the charge of criminal threatening. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 Criminal Trespass; Exception. Amend RSA 631:4, IV to read as follows: IV. A person who responds to a person criminally trespassing in violation of RSA 635:2 or other threat which would be considered by a reasonable person as likely to cause property damage, seri

  • 2026 HB1464 amend · effective 2027-01-01

    felony if it results in actual economic harm, such as loss of employment, or involves a threat of physical violence. 7 New Section; Politically Motivated Interference. Amend RSA 631 by inserting after section 4-b the following new section: 631:4-c Politically Motivated Interference. I. A person is guilty of politically motivated interference if, with the purpose to harass or intimidate base

  • 2026 HB1464-FN amend · effective 2027-01-01

    felony if it results in actual economic harm, such as loss of employment, or involves a threat of physical violence. 7 New Section; Politically Motivated Interference. Amend RSA 631 by inserting after section 4-b the following new section: 631:4-c Politically Motivated Interference. I. A person is guilty of politically motivated interference if, with the purpose to harass or intimidate base

  • 2026 HB1522 reference

    the petitioner to fear for his or her safety or well-being: (a) Assault or reckless conduct as defined in RSA 631:1 through RSA 631:3. (b) Criminal threatening as defined in RSA 631:4. (c) Sexual assault as defined in RSA 632-A:2 through RSA 632-A:5. (d) Interference with freedom as defined in RSA 633:1 through RSA 633:3-a. (e) Destruction of property as defined in RSA 634:1 and RSA 634:2. (f)

  • 2026 HB1522-FN reference

    the petitioner to fear for his or her safety or well-being: (a) Assault or reckless conduct as defined in RSA 631:1 through RSA 631:3. (b) Criminal threatening as defined in RSA 631:4. (c) Sexual assault as defined in RSA 632-A:2 through RSA 632-A:5. (d) Interference with freedom as defined in RSA 633:1 through RSA 633:3-a. (e) Destruction of property as defined in RSA 634:1 and RSA 634:2. (f)

  • 2026 HB1547 amend · effective 2027-01-01

    h the defendant and finds that the defendant has knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently waived his or her right to a jury trial. 2 New Section; Assault Prosecutions. Amend RSA 631 by inserting after section 2-b the following new section: 631:2-c Assault Prosecutions. I. In any prosecution for a violation of RSA 631:2-a or 631:2-b, which is charged as a class A misdemeanor in the circuit c

  • 2026 HB1547-FN amend · effective 2027-01-01

    h the defendant and finds that the defendant has knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently waived his or her right to a jury trial. 2 New Section; Assault Prosecutions. Amend RSA 631 by inserting after section 2-b the following new section: 631:2-c Assault Prosecutions. I. In any prosecution for a violation of RSA 631:2-a or 631:2-b, which is charged as a class A misdemeanor in the circuit c

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