Castle Doctrine States Map
The laws of each state define the legally justifiable ways in which a person can defend themselves with deadly force the two most common forms of which are called the castle doctrine and duty to retreat these two types of statute have different philosophies though each can be distilled to a relatively simple concept.
Castle doctrine states map. For example they may require that the threat of perceived. The united states has two additional. The state of florida has such a strong castle doctrine that the dwelling being protected does not need to have a roof. There is no duty to retreat from the situation in one s home or workplace or vehicle if applicable before using force but there may be a duty to retreat in a public place.
Chapter 5 starting on p. Many self defense laws state that a person that believes they are being threatened with personal injury has a duty to retreat. A castle doctrine is a self defense law that states that a person s home sometimes also a place of work or vehicle is a place that grants one protections and immunities from prosecution in certain circumstance to use force or deadly force to defend oneself against an intruder. Duty to retreat from a threatening situation if you can do so with complete safety.
The term is most commonly used in the. Castle doctrine is similar to stand your ground but is typically limited to real property including a person s home property and in some states cars or workplaces. Alabama arizona georgia indiana kentucky louisiana montana nevada oklahoma south carolina tennessee utah and washington. The laws of the land.
With that said as such states with justifiable homicide provisions in pertaining to one s domicile do not in themselves authorize indiscriminate violence therein the mere fact that one is trespassing is no defense per se to justifying homicide. A castle doctrine also known as a castle law or a defense of habitation law is a legal doctrine that designates a person s abode or any legally occupied place for example a vehicle or home as a place in which that person has protections and immunities permitting one in certain circumstances to use force up to and including deadly force to defend oneself against an intruder free from legal prosecution for the consequences of the force used. It s important to understand that even states that have stand your ground laws still have certain restrictions when it comes to using force in self defense. Other states with strong castle doctrine and stand your ground laws include.
If there is a continued threat after leaving the threatened person is permitted to use force to defend themselves. And can be as temporary as a tent. The concept is that an individual has a right to be safe and secure within his or her own home or castle and should not have to retreat from his or her home in order to be safe. Castle doctrine lays down that there is no duty to retreat from an intruder in one s home.
In stand your ground states there is no duty to retreat. 123 of the state bar of texas s book texas perspectives on firearms law 2014 provides a history and overview of texas s castle doctrine laws and cites to relevant court cases. The chapter discusses in detail legislation passed in 2007 that affected a person s duty to retreat and defined the terms habitation and vehicle. Duty to retreat and castle doctrine.
Depending on the state an individual may have the right to protect himself or herself other people and his or her property by force. No duty to retreat before using deadly force if you are in your home or yard some states include a place of work and occupied vehicles duty to retreat. A justifiable homicide which occurs inside one s home is distinct as a matter of law from castle doctrine s no duty to retreat.