What is the Law on Battery in Mission Municipal Court?
The City of Mission Kansas is governed by City Ordinances. City Ordinances are just another way of saying city laws. The City ordinances are written and voted on by the city council, if they pass through the legislative process then they become city ordinances. The problem with city ordinances is there is a lot of them, they cover all aspects of life within the city limits of Mission. That creates a general problem because the city council only meets a few times a month and doesn't have the time and resources to author and pass an entire city code one-by-one. To solve this problem the city of Mission, like most cities, adopted a a prewritten set of ordinances to cover nearly all conduct that the city wishes to criminalize. Here is the City Ordinance that adopted the "Uniform Public Offense Code"
Section 215:010 Incorporation of the Uniform Public Offense Code
A. There is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of regulating public offenses within the corporate limits of the City of Mission, Kansas, that a certain code known as the "Uniform Public Offense Code," 2023 Edition, prepared and published in book form by the League of Kansas Municipalities, Topeka, Kansas, save and except such Articles, Sections, parts or portions as are hereby omitted, deleted, modified or changed.
After the city adopted the Uniform Public Offense Code, this became the law in the city of Mission prohibiting Battery within the city limits. All cases involving alleged violations of this ordinance are heard in the Mission Municipal Court.
Sec. 3.1. Battery
(a) Battery is:
Knowingly or recklessly causing bodily harm to another person; or
Knowingly causing physical contact with another person when done in a rude, insulting or angry manner.
(b) Battery is a Class B violation. (K.S.A. 21-5413)
Possible Punishment
*Class B Violations are punishable by up to 180 days in the Johnson County Jail, however, most Class B Violations are eligible for probation
I've been charged with Battery in Mission Municipal Court, now what do I do?
If you've been charged with battery and you've found this page, you're already doing what you should be doing, researching the law. Anytime you are charged with any crime it's best to start by looking at the law that the police claim you violated. Educating yourself on the law allows you to ask more informed questions and help understand possible defenses. The problem with the law is that it rarely incorporates fact scenarios into its text. Rarely does it answer the question, "I did this act... am I guilty?" For a more expansive look at the body of law concerning battery, review the common questions associated with Battery section of our website. After you've read the law, digested what you can from the common questions, it's time to sit down with an experienced criminal defense lawyer. When you meet with your lawyer make sure to spend some time getting answers to your legal questions but more importantly getting insight as to how the Mission Municipal Court works. Knowing how the court works, how they handle cases like yours and the people and personalities that are making decisions on your case is just as important as knowing the law.