Stand Your Ground

Stand your ground is a type of self-defense law that removes the duty to retreat before using force, including deadly force, in any place a person has a lawful right to be. Where it does not apply, a person in public must usually retreat if they can do so safely before using deadly force. It extends the idea of the castle doctrine beyond the home.

Preppers meet stand your ground laws because the rules for defending yourself change at your front door, and they change again at the state line. Even where these laws apply, a person must reasonably fear death or serious harm, must not be the one who started the fight, and must be somewhere they are allowed to be.

This entry is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so read your state's statute and talk to an attorney about your situation.