Actual violence is a term that is synonymous with violence in the criminal courts. The two are used interchangeably in most cases. For an act to be considered actual violence, a criminally violent act must be compounded by the exertion of more violence. An example is throwing repeated punches. Actual violence is considered a felony in most cases, but can at times it can be decreased to a misdemeanor. It can be used in domestic violence cases as well as common assault. There is an implication that actual violence exists in a case when an assault charge is filed.
People convicted of actual violence crimes are normally given a range of sentences that may include anger management classes and potentially either incarceration or community service. If a person is charged with actual violence more than once, they will be sentenced much harsher and may receive a lengthy jail sentence of up to 10 years. Restraining orders are commonly issued when actual violence charges are filed in a domestic violence case.