Find out which states have Stand Your Ground or Castle Doctrine. State law says when a victim must retreat. Find out if your state has Stand Your Ground.
I looked at the relationship between lethal self-defense and retreating for each state and Washington D.C. Some states rely upon case law, jury instruction and in the case of Oregon a state Supreme Court ruling to address retreating and self-defense. All other states address retreating in the home and in public with specific laws.
What is the Castle Doctrine
The Castle Doctrine is the legal basis for using self-defense in a defender’s home. Based on the Castle Doctrine, a defender may use force including deadly force and need not use an avenue of retreat. In many states, the Castle Doctrine also includes a place of work, vehicle, or area around the residence.
What is Stand Your Ground
Stand your ground is the legal basis for using force including deadly force defensively. Generally, retreating is not required anywhere a defender is legally present, if the defender is not the aggressor, and is not engaged in unlawful activity. Stand your ground is in the criminal code of about half of U.S. States.
Each State’s Position on Self-Defense and Retreating
If it has an underline, you can click to see the statute.
Alabama – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Alaska – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Arizona – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Arkansas – Castle Doctrine
California – The Castle Doctrine statute does not address retreating
Stand Your Ground by jury instruction CALCRIM No. 505
Colorado – case law Stand Your Ground
Castle Doctrine for dwellings only. Vehicles and workplaces are not included in the statute. The statue does not specifically address retreating.
Connecticut – Castle Doctrine in home and place of work
Delaware – Castle Doctrine in home and place of work
Florida – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Georgia – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Hawaii – Castle Doctrine for home and place of work
Idaho – Castle Doctrine for home, vehicle, and place of work
Stand Your Ground based on case law and jury instruction
Illinois – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine are not law. The relevant statute does not specifically mention no duty to retreat.
Indiana – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Iowa – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Kansas – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Kentucky – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Louisiana – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Maine – Castle Doctrine
Maryland – case law Castle Doctrine
Massachusetts – Castle Doctrine
Michigan – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Minnesota – Castle Doctrine
Mississippi – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Missouri – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Montana – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Nebraska – Castle Doctrine for home and place of work
Nevada – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
New Hampshire – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
New Jersey – Castle Doctrine
New Mexico – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine based on jury instructions
New York – Castle Doctrine
North Carolina – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
North Carolina has two different statutes for castle doctrine and stand your ground.
North Dakota – Castle Doctrine for home and place of work
Ohio – Castle Doctrine for home and vehicle
Oklahoma – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Oregon – The law does not require retreating. The Oregon Supreme Court ruled there is no duty to retreat.
Pennsylvania – Castle Doctrine
Rhode Island – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
South Carolina – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
South Dakota – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Tennessee – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Texas – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Utah – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Vermont – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine based on jury instructions
Virginia – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine by case law
Washington – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine by case law and jury instructions
Washington D.C. – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine are not law.
West Virginia – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
Wisconsin – Castle Doctrine
Wyoming – Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine
