self-defense laws
Justified force regulations
Self-defense laws are legal rules governing when a person may use force to protect themselves from harm.
Most jurisdictions require the threat to be imminent and the response proportional.
Under self-defense laws, she was justified in fighting back.
Stand-your-ground laws remove any duty to retreat before using force, while castle doctrine provides broader protections within one's home.
- excessive forceUnwarranted severity in restraint
- reasonable forceLegally justified physical intervention
- proportionalityScaling relationship between quantities
- use of forcePhysical compulsion to comply
- necessityIndispensable requirement
provocation · burden of proof · criminal liability · imminence · castle doctrine · lethal force · deadly weapon · justification · home invasion · mutual combat · imminent threat · arrest procedures · heroism · attacker · innocent bystander · jury · courtroom · acquittal
- crime preventioncrime prevention, crime reduction, crime stoppers, crime hotspots, prevention programs
- gun lawsgun control, gun rights, gun safety, gun permits, gun permit
- gun safetygun safety, trigger discipline, safe storage, gun safe, trigger lock
self-defense lawsvigilante justice
Unauthorized punishment by civilians
lynch law · mob justice · frontier justice · kangaroo courts · lawlessness
self-defense lawsweapons bans
Restrictions on armaments