Stand-your-ground law

A stand-your-ground law provides that a person who is not engaged in criminal activity and is in a place where he or she has a right to be does not have a duty to retreat before using force, including deadly force, to prevent death or great bodily harm. It extends the logic of the castle doctrine from the home to public places.

Florida enacted the best-known version in 2005, and about thirty states now have similar laws by statute or court decisions. The laws typically require a reasonable belief that force is necessary and many grant immunity from prosecution or civil suit once a defendant makes a showing, which can lead to pretrial hearings. They became highly publicized after the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida, though the defense was not used at trial.

Supporters argue that law-abiding people should not have to flee from attackers and that retreat rules put victims at a disadvantage; some say the laws merely codify the existing practice. Critics argue that they escalate disputes and increase homicides; studies, including some on Florida, have linked the laws to increases in homicide rates, while other analyses are less conclusive. Research on racial disparities in outcomes has also been published. The rule contrasts with a duty to retreat.