Pen. Code, § 273d · Chapter 2. Abandonment and Neglect of Children
Pen. Code, § 273d
Text — As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
(a) Any person who willfully inflicts upon a child any cruel or inhuman corporal punishment or an injury resulting in a traumatic condition is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for two, four, or six years, or in a county jail for not more than one year, by a fine of up to six thousand dollars ($6,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
(b) Any person who is found guilty of violating subdivision (a) shall receive a four-year enhancement for a prior conviction of that offense provided that no additional term shall be imposed under this subdivision for any prison term or term imposed under the provisions of subdivision (h) of Section 1170 served prior to a period of 10 years in which the defendant remained free of both the commission of an offense that results in a felony conviction and prison custody or custody in a county jail under the provisions of subdivision (h) of Section 1170.
(c) If a person is convicted of violating this section and probation is granted, the court shall require the following minimum conditions of probation:
(1) A mandatory minimum period of probation of 36 months.
(2) A criminal court protective order protecting the victim from further acts of violence or threats, and, if appropriate, residence exclusion or stay-away conditions.
(3) (A) Successful completion of no less than one year of a child abuser’s treatment counseling program. The defendant shall be ordered to begin participation in the program immediately upon the grant of probation. The counseling program shall meet the criteria specified in Section 273.1. The defendant shall produce documentation of program enrollment to the court within 30 days of enrollment, along with quarterly progress reports.
(B) The terms of probation for offenders shall not be lifted until all reasonable fees due to the counseling program have been paid in full, but in no case shall probation be extended beyond the term provided in subdivision (a) of Section 1203.1. If the court finds that the defendant does not have the ability to pay the fees based on the defendant’s changed circumstances, the court may reduce or waive the fees.
(4) If the offense was committed while the defendant was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the defendant shall abstain from the use of drugs or alcohol during the period of probation and shall be subject to random drug testing by his or her probation officer.
(5) The court may waive any of the above minimum conditions of probation upon a finding that the condition would not be in the best interests of justice. The court shall state on the record its reasons for any waiver.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Amended (as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 312) by Stats. 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., Ch. 12, Sec. 8. (AB 17 1x) Effective September 21, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 46 of Ch. 12.
Source of truth
- Edition
- As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
- Official file
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=273d.
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- compose_ca.py 2026-10-22: the Legislative Counsel's CAML content files read by a tokenizer (caml_readers.reader_a); an independent xml.etree reading (caml_readers.reader_b) agrees on every section
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Cited by 17 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Pen. Code, § 273d. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Evidence Code
Health and Safety Code
Penal Code
- Pen. Code, § 273.1Printed as Section 273a or 273d
- Pen. Code, § 294Printed as Section 273a, 273d, 288.5, 311.2, 311.3, or 647.6
- Pen. Code, § 868.5Printed as Section 211, 215, 220, 236.1, 240, 242, 243.4, 245, 261, 266, 266a, 266b, 266c, 266d, 266e, 266f, 266g, 266h, 266i, 266j, 266k, 267, 269, 273a, 273d, 273.5, 273.6, 278, 278.5, 285, 286, 287, 288, 288.
- Pen. Code, § 868.8Printed as Section 220, 236.1, 243.4, 261, 269, 273a, 273d, 285, 286, 287, 288, 288.5, 288.7, or 289
- Pen. Code, § 939.21Printed as Section 243.4, 261, 273a, 273d, 285, 286, 287, 288, 288.5, or 289
- Pen. Code, § 1048Printed as Section 261, 264.1, 273a, 273d, 285, 286, 287, 288, or 289
- Pen. Code, § 1346Printed as Section 220, 243.4, 261, 261.5, 264.1, 269, 273a, 273d, 285, 286, 287, 288, 288.5, 288.7, 289, or 647.6
- Pen. Code, § 1347.5Printed as Section 220, 243.4, 261, 261.5, 264.1, 273a, 273d, 285, 286, 287, 288, 288.5, or 289
- Pen. Code, § 11160Printed as Section 273a or 273d
- Pen. Code, § 14205Printed as Section 220, 261.5, 273a, 273d, or 273.5
Welfare and Institutions Code
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