Aggravate Law & Legal Definition

Aggravate in the legal sense means intensification. Aggravate means to make something more severe or intense. It can also refer to increasing the gravity or seriousness of a situation. Most states have laws differentiating offences on the ground of gravity. For example there are offenses of assault and aggravated assault, hurt and aggravated hurt. Generally the punishments for aggravated offenses are more severe.

Example of a state statute on Assault and aggravated assault.

NY CLS Penal § 120.08. Assault on a peace officer, police officer, fireman or emergency medical services professional

A person is guilty of assault on a peace officer, police officer, fireman or emergency medical services professional when, with intent to prevent a peace officer, police officer, a fireman, including a fireman acting as a paramedic or emergency medical technician administering first aid in the course of performance of duty as such fireman, or an emergency medical service paramedic or emergency medical service technician, from performing a lawful duty, he causes serious physical injury to such peace officer, police officer, fireman, paramedic or technician.

Assault on a peace officer, police officer, fireman or emergency medical services professional is a class C felony.

NY CLS Penal § 120.11. Aggravated assault upon a police officer or a peace officer

A person is guilty of aggravated assault upon a police officer or a peace officer when, with intent to cause serious physical injury to a person whom he knows or reasonably should know to be a police officer or a peace officer engaged in the course of performing his official duties, he causes such injury by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument.

Aggravated assault upon a police officer or a peace officer is a class B felony.