Supreme Court of the United States

Johnson v. United States

March 2, 2010559 U.S. 133

Summary

The Court held that Florida felony battery involving only intentional touching does not qualify as a violent felony under the Armed Career Criminal Act because the statutory term physical force means violent force capable of causing pain or injury. Justice Alito, dissenting, would have affirmed, reasoning that the traditional common-law definition of battery applies.