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18 U.S.C. 117: Domestic assault by an habitual offenderText contains those laws in effect through Public Law 119-120 (October 7, 2026).
From Title 18-CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURECHAPTER 7-ASSAULT

§117. Domestic assault by an habitual offender

(a)  In General.⁠—Any person who commits a domestic assault within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or Indian country and who has a final conviction on at least 2 separate prior occasions in Federal, State, or Indian tribal court proceedings for offenses that would be, if subject to Federal jurisdiction⁠—

(1)  any assault, sexual abuse, or serious violent felony against a spouse or intimate partner, or against a child of or in the care of the person committing the domestic assault; or

(2)  an offense under chapter 110A,

shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for a term of not more than 5 years, or both, except that if substantial bodily injury results from violation under this section, the offender shall be imprisoned for a term of not more than 10 years.

(b)  Domestic Assault Defined.⁠—In this section, the term “domestic assault” means an assault committed by a current or former spouse, parent, child, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, parent, child, or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, child, or guardian of the victim.

(Added Pub. L. 109–162, title IX, § 909 , Jan. 5, 2006 , 119 Stat. 3084 ; amended Pub. L. 113–104, § 3 , May 20, 2014 , 128 Stat. 1156 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2014⁠—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 113–104 inserted “, or against a child of or in the care of the person committing the domestic assault” after “intimate partner”.