Guides
- Property Ownership Types You Should Know About
- Community Safety Initiatives: How to Make Your Neighborhood Safer
- What is a Lien and How Lien Priority Works?
- Campus Safety 101: Essential Tips for a Secure College Life
- How to Know If Someone Is Divorced?
- What are the CCPA and CPRA?
- How to Get Over a Breakup?
- U.S. Violent Crime Definition & Statistics
- The 5 Steps You Should Know When Adopting a Child
- What Is Criminal Profiling?
- A Full Guide on Reasonable Suspicion vs Probable Cause
- What Is Email Encryption & How to Encrypt an Email?
- What is a White Collar Crime? A Full Guide
- Rental Scams: How Do They Work & How to Catch Scammers?
- A Complete Guide on Parole vs Probation
- 5 Steps to Remove Personal Information from Google
- A Full Guide on House Arrests
- A Complete Guide on Marriage and Civil Union
- How to Safeguard Yourself and Deal with Marriage Debt
- What is Eyewitness Testimony?
- A Full Guide on Gentrification: Why is it a Problem?
- 8 Most Dangerous Twitter Scams and How to Avoid Them
- Pretexting Attacks: Common Types and How to Deal with Them
- How Do Zelle Scams Work and Things to Look Out For
- What Is Business Email Compromise, How to Defend Against It?
- What is a Wellness Check?
- How To Get a Temporary Restraining Order?
- What Is Smishing Attack & How to Avoid It?
- Spam Emails: Types and Ways to Block Them
- Email Masking & Masked Email Addresses
- Spot a Fake QR Code & Avoid Getting Scammed
- Common NFT Scams to Look Out For & Ways to Avoid the Fake Ones
- What to Do If You Witness a Crime?
- What Is Skip Tracing and How Does It Work?
- Common Venmo Scams to Look Out For and How to Avoid Them
- Can You Get Child Custody If You Have a Criminal Record?
- Common Amazon Scams and Ways on How to Avoid Them
- How to Find Liens on a Property?
- Multiple Bankruptcies: How Often You Can File One?
- How to Adopt a Child in the US?
- I Lost My Birth Certificate. What Should I Do?
- Warning Signs of Job Scams and How to Protect Yourself
- What Is a Ban the Box Law?
- What is Expungement?
- How to Transfer Property After Death Without Will
- What Is a Police Blotter?
- How to Appeal a Parking Ticket
- What Is a Clean Driving Record?
- What is Title Washing?
- What is Extortion?
- How To Run a Motorcycle Title Search
- What Is a Digital Footprint?
- What is Anti Money Laundering (AML)?
- Guide on How to Get a Death Certificate
- What is the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)?
- What is Multi Factor Authentication?
- What is a Citizen's Arrest?
- How to Know that You’re in an Obsessive Relationship
- Guide to Online Survey Scams
- 13 Different Types of Police Officers
- Full Guide on Work-from-Home Scams
- Is Private Browsing Really Private?
- Different Types of Felony Classes & Charges
- What is Juice Jacking?
- What are Romance Scams?
- Traffic Offenses and Violations
- What is Doxing and How to Prevent it?
- What are Spam Text Messages
- The U.S. Death Penalty: History and Modern Usage
- A Guide to Different Types of Bankruptcies
- Common eBay Scams to be Aware of
- What Happens When You are Booked in Jail?
- What Information Can You Get From A License Plate
- Different Types of Assets
- 8 Tips to Help You Find Family Members
- Car History Guide, Benefits, Importance
- Am I Dating a Stalker?
- How to Find out if Your Partner is Cheating
- What Is A Packet Sniffing Attack
- Intellectual Property Law and Rights
- Cyberstalking And Its Dangers
- A Guide to Phishing Scams
- What is Organized Crime?
- I’ve Lost My Driver’s License: What Should I Do?
- Misdemeanor Charges: Types, Classes, and Penalties
- A Complete Guide On Catfishing
- Vanity Phone Numbers: A Complete Guide
- What Happens When You Get Arrested
- Guide to Find Information About a Person Online
- How To Find And Claim Unclaimed Money
- What Happens if You Violate Probation
- Guide on How to Remove a Mugshot from the Internet
- How to Stay Safe on Public WiFi
- How to Deal with an Outstanding Warrant
- Different Types of Car Insurance
- What Is Cyptojacking?
- What Is Email Security?
- What Is the Deep Web and What Can Be Found There?
- What Happens When You Declare Bankruptcy
- How Divorce Settlements are Calculated
- What are Common Methods of Social Engineering
- What is the Difference Between a General Lien and a Specific Lien?
- How to Detect Odometer Rollback
- Different Types of Probation
- Finding forgotten life insurance policies
- What is Bearer Bond and Why the US Banned it
- Everything you need to know about small claims court
- Moral Turpitude: Definition, Examples, and Much More!
- Misdemeanor vs Felony
- How To Read VIN Number
- How to Find Out Who Hacked Your Cell Phone
- How Long Does a Misdemeanor Stay On Your Criminal Record?
- The Paypal Phishing Scam You Should Care to Avoid
- License Plates Types: USA Guide
- Effects of Cyberbullying: Complete Guide for Parents
- What is the DPPA?
- Petty Theft: Definition and Consequences
- What is a Life Sentence?
- How to Find Out if Someone Has a Warrant?
- Marriage License vs Certificate: Everything You Need to Know
- The Ten Most Popular Celebrity Mugshots
- How to Find Out if Someone is Married?
- How to Stop Phone Spoofing?
- How To Avoid Probate
- Dealing with abandoned vehicles in your neighborhood
- How to Find Someone's Cell Phone Number by Their Name
- Who Are the Worst Drivers in America?
- How To Find Unclaimed Money From Deceased Relatives
- What is a Digital License Plate?
- How to Find out if Someone Died?
- Murder vs Manslaughter: The Differences and Definitions
- How to Hire a Private Investigator?
- What Is a Number Neighbor?
- How to Find Out if Someone was Arrested
- How to Find Someone's Birthday?
- What is a Car Title
- How to Obtain a Police Report and Court Records?
- Filing a false police report
- Prison Valley: Look inside Prison Town
- How to Get Custody of a Child Without Going to Court?
- How to Find Someone’s Social Media Profiles?
- What to Do if Your Phone Is Tapped?
- What Is a Deed in Real Estate?
- Where Was The First US Federal Penitentiary Established?
- How to Find Someone's Location Using Their Cell Phone Number?
- What Is a Restricted Call?
- Who is the Most Dangerous Prisoner in the World?
- Poshmark Scams: How to Prevent and Report Them
- How to Find a Missing Person?
- How to Send Money to a Federal Inmate?
- DUI vs DWI: What're The Differences
- How Long After Buying a Car Do You Need to Register it?
- How to Find out Where Someone Lives?
- What Happens If You Get Caught Driving a Car Without Interlock
- Situational Crime Prevention: Theory, Techniques and Examples
- How Can I Find Out Who Called Me for Free?
- Gun Free Zone Statistics and Facts
- Online Threats and Digital Security: Trends, Types and Most Common Examples
- Cold Cases: Best Practices For Police Officers and Investigators
- Court Order: Definition, Types and Examples
- What Does a Fingerprint Background Report Show?
- How to Check Your Criminal Record?
- What is Tort Law?
- How to Calculate Child Support
- Property Rights: Definition, and Characteristics
- 12 Common Reasons for Public Records Request
- What is Antitrust Law?
- Virginia Gun Confiscation Law
- Ways to Know Who Owns a House
- Neighborhood Watch Program
- How to Perform a Mugshot Search?
- Crime Mapping
- Safest Colleges in Florida
- Veterans Guide to Cars and Driving
- U.S. Correctional System: Structure, Incarceration and Facts
- License Plate Laws in the US
- How to Find Out If Someone Is in Jail?
- Email Hacking: Laws, Penalties and Protection
- Romeo and Juliet Laws
- Holiday Safety for Home and Family
- Differences between Criminal and Arrest Records
- Public Records and Property History: What is Public Information and What Isn’t
- How to Look up Immigration Inmates?
- Famous Prisons in the USA
- How to Find Out Who Owns a Vehicle Using Reverse Lookup Tools
- How to Search for Your Family Tree?
- The Federal Judicial Center
- Mass Incarceration in the USA
- What is COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act)?
- Data Safety After The Capital One Breach
- Scholarships Guide for Students
- Complete Guide to Student Safety
- What Is a Vehicle Identification Number?
- Determining Divorce: 5 Types of Divorce You Must Know
- Sex Offenders: Complete Guide to be Protected
- New Privacy Laws and Public Records
- Motor Vehicle Registration in the US
- Digital Token Age: Security Laws and Regulations
- Facial Recognition Technology and Legal Restrictions
- What Shows up in a Background Report
- What is Repossession of a Car?
- How to Protect Yourself from Phone Scams
- Human Rights in the Prison
- What are Business Competition Laws?
- What is a Hate Crime?
- Starting a Business and Business Licenses
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Guidance
- Criminal Justice Reform
- Tax Reform Impact and Changes To Know
- Self-Driving Cars: Laws and Regulations
- White-Collar Crime: Statistics and Facts
- Have You Been Arrested? Cases You'll Need a Lawyer
- How to Get a Driver's License in the US
- Car Theft in the US: Prevention and Facts
- Identity Theft Passport Program
- Changing your Name after Marriage: What You Need to Know
- Finding the Perfect Roommate: Dos and Donts
- What to Do in a Car Accident?
- Property Crimes: How to Burglar Proof Your Home
- Consumer Laws in the US: What Do They Mean for a Customer and a Business Owner
- Child Trafficking: The Scope, Understanding, and Prevention
- Business Assets: A Guide to the Financial Health of your Business
- Guide To The College Application: How, When and Where to Apply
- Which States Have “Stand Your Ground” Laws?
- Adolescent Depression Symptoms and Causes
- Things to Know About the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory System
- Inheritance in the US: With & Without a Will
- Online Dating Safety Guide for Men and Women
- Sexual Abuse in the U.S.: Laws and Statistics
- Supporting Children After Divorce: Child Custody Options
- Halloween Horrors Come to Life: Holidays Crimes in the U.S.
- Charity Scams in the U.S.: Be Aware and Protected
- Webcam Hacking & Spying in the US
- Freedom of Religion in the U.S.
- Senior Financial Scams: How are the Elderly Targeted and How to Avoid It
- Catcalling: Is it illegal? How to Deal With It
- A Complete Guide To Insurance Fraud: Common Types and Prevention
- Sextortion: What to Do if You Became a Victim of Blackmailing
- Concealed Carry: How to Protect Yourself on Campus
- Debt Collection Laws | Fair Debt Collection Act: What You Need To Know
- How Much Is My House Worth? Ultimate Guide to Home Buying and Selling
- What are the Traits of a Sociopath?
- Do You Know Who Your Neighbors Are?
- Learn How to Find Your Birth Parents
- The Importance of Public Records in Law
- Do You Know What's the Difference Between Jail and Prison?
- Homeowner's Insurance Coverage & Common Claims
- The Disturbing Facts of Gun Violence in America
- How to Use Public Records in Marketing
- Best & Worst Cities for Driving
- LGBT Bullying
- A Parent's Guide to Keeping Your Child Drug-Free
- What You Need to Know When Buying or Selling a Used Car?
- Guide to Filing for Bankruptcy
- Making Your DMV Experience Fast And Easy
- How to Appeal the Court's Decision
- How to Fight a Traffic Ticket?
- How to Prepare For an Active Shooter Incident
- How to Protect Yourself Against Cyber Attacks
- How to Report a Crime?
- Keeping Your Neighborhood Safe For Your Family
- School Safety and Security Standards
- 50 Things to Know When Filing for Divorce
- Tips for Back-to-School Safety and Security
- A User's Guide to Warrants
- What to Do When You Are Stopped By the Police
“Stand Your Ground” Laws
Laws in more than 25 states allow a person defending himself or his property to use deadly force against an intruder or attacker. Called “stand your ground” laws, these have been used successfully to excuse a defendant from prosecution, even in cases where the intrusion or aspect of self-defense was doubtful.
The law was tested in the 2011 U.S. Supreme Court Case from Oklahoma, Dawkins v. State, which clarified that the defendant may not be involved in illegal activity at the time of self-defense.
State laws vary in their application of stand your ground, including some that require a defendant to exit the situation (retreat from confrontation) if at all possible. The following states have stand your ground laws: Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. States that limit their laws to castle doctrine only (one must be in a home) include Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
Florida’s version of stand your ground is often cited as the most liberal, allowing a person the right to expect absolute safety in any place they have the lawful right to be. In Florida, the “victim” doesn’t have to be engaged in unlawful activity but may be threatening the shooter in some way (even if that threat only exists in the shooter’s mind). The National Rifle Association is credited with writing much of Florida’s law, not unexpected in a state with a “shall issue” gun permit regulation that allows nearly anyone to carry a weapon.
Along with studies examining the effect of the law on each state’s homicide rate, racial bias appears to be at play: there is evidence that the law is applied most often when the gunman is white and the perpetrator is a minority.
A study by the American Bar Association shows that most states have dispensed with the “duty to retreat” in favor of broad interpretations of self-defense gun laws such as stand your ground.
Test Cases of Stand Your Ground Law
The 2012 shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin was a significant test of this law that received national attention. Martin was walking through a gated community where he was visiting his father’s fiancee when he was approached by George Zimmerman, who was the Neighborhood Watch captain. Zimmerman had called the police proactively, reporting Martin’s presence before approaching the teen. He claimed Martin attacked him, allowing him to use the stand your ground defense because he believed his life was in danger from the 5’11” 158 lb. teen although he was the one who pursued Martin.
Police sometimes say they cannot arrest a person who may use the “stand your ground” defense. That may differ from one state to another. In Florida, the law does allow a person to use lethal force in self-defense even when there are opportunities to retreat. In 2018 when a man initiated a parking lot fight then shot the man he attacked, police initially believed they didn’t have the power to arrest the shooter. However, state prosecutors determined that there was sufficient proof that the man did not act in self-defense and charged him with manslaughter.
Studies of the crime rates in states that have enacted stand your ground laws have shown varying results: one study said that the laws contribute up to 600 additional homicides a year, another said that non-residential burglaries increased as a result; a Journal of the American Medical Association report said that the rate of homicides by gunshot went up more than 30 percent following Florida’s adoption of the law.
The Castle Doctrine defense
Based on the “Castle Doctrine,” stand your ground laws began showing up in the late 1980s when violent crime was nearing an all-time high in the United States. In 1991, overall crime peaked at 5,856 per 100,000, with violent crime peaking at 716 per 100,000. The violent crime rate is now about half of that, around 366 per 100,000. The overall crime rate has fallen precipitously in the past 25 years and currently sits at about 2,857 per 100,000. In the same period, the murder rate fell by 50 percent.
Castle Doctrines are legal principles, not laws in themselves. The principle here is that a person whose home (or castle) is intruded upon has the right to defend it against those reasonably assumed to be committing a felony by entering the home illegally. The presence of fear is sufficient to invoke the Castle Doctrine in self-defense, a concern for one’s own life or the lives of others in the home.
Outside of the home or abode, the Castle Doctrine does not apply, and an individual generally has the obligation to avoid a violent confrontation when possible. However, this is where “stand your ground” laws come into play, allowing an individual the right to self-defense in a vehicle or any other location where he is legally allowed to be.