Battery is generally a harmful or offensive contact with another person, without the person’s consent. Battery may be the basis for a criminal charge or offense. The definition and penalties for battery vary from state to state, and are usually located in a state's penal or criminal code (statutes). In some states the crimes of assault and battery are merged into one criminal offense.

Battery is also recognized in tort law as an intentional tort, and may result in civil liability (money damages) in a lawsuit against a person who commits battery.

In Alaska, battery is not defined as a separate offense in the criminal statutes; instead, it is encompassed under the broader category of assault. Alaska's criminal code outlines various degrees of assault, which range from misdemeanor to felony charges, depending on the severity of the harm caused and the circumstances surrounding the incident. For example, Alaska Statute § 11.41.200 defines assault in the fourth degree, which includes recklessly causing physical injury to another person, as a class A misdemeanor. More serious forms of assault, which could involve the intentional infliction of serious physical injury or the use of a dangerous weapon, are classified as felonies under Alaska Statutes § 11.41.100-§ 11.41.150. In civil law, battery in Alaska is considered an intentional tort, as it is in other states. A victim of battery may file a civil lawsuit seeking monetary damages from the person who committed the act. The elements of a civil battery claim typically include an intentional act by the defendant that causes harmful or offensive contact with the plaintiff's person without consent. The burden of proof is on the plaintiff to establish these elements in order to prevail in a civil battery claim.