Self Defense Laws

What are the self defense laws regarding the use of force?

The laws regarding self defense permit the use of proportionate and necessary force when a woman believes that an unlawful force is being or about to be used on her.

The self defense force must appear to be needed to prevent injury or death.

Lawful pre-emptive self defense is striking first when a situation has reached a point of no return. Most self defense experts believe that if the circumstance is such that violence seems unavoidable the defender has a better chance of surviving by throwing the first blow and gaining the upper hand immediately to end the personal risk.

The self defense force must appear to needed to prevent the attack and must be proportionate to the severity of the attack force. It is the responsibility of the threatened woman to utilize all precautionary measures to prevent the attack.

When someone pokes you in the chest, you can't whip out a gun and blow him away- you may want to, but that would be disproportionate to the attack.

Also you can't use physical force in response to words unless the words are an immediate threat, such as, "I am about to shoot you!"(and the person displays a gun).

It is illegal to hurt another person intentionally in the United States.

If you hit someone, stab someone or kill someone and you're prosecuted for it and you don't deny it, it is a crime. If you can prove that you were legally justified you will be cleared.

There are two types of laws. Statutory laws you can find at your local library or on the internet. Then there are judge-made laws, which can be contrary to statutory laws. These laws are the legal precedents a judge will use during a trial.

The reasonable man doctrine is the cornerstone of our (United States) legal system. A reasonable man has some foresight, plans his actions and generally gets along with others. In a court of law your actions will be judges to the standard of a reasonable person placed in the same circumstances with the same knowledge.

Establishing your guilt is the prosecution's job. Establishing justification is your burden of proof, under self defense laws.

Click here to read more on the legalities of self defense :

State Laws

Civil Law

Non-Lethal Self Defense Force

Lethal Self Defense Force

Defense of Property

Defense of Others

Martial Artists Liability

Right of Self Defense

Castle Doctrine Laws

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