Articles Tagged with Justification Defenses

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Recent Amendment expands protections under Arizona’s “Stand Your Ground” Laws; not only to their homes, business, but anywhere else in Arizona “they have the right to be”.

Amidst heated debates over “Stand Your Ground” laws Arizona, businesses and homeowners continue to do what they must, to protect their home and property from intruders. For centuries, “Stand Your Ground” laws have existed and also referred to as the “Castle Doctrine” influenced by the age old adage “One’s home is their castle.”

Most states have some form of “Stand Your Ground” laws. These laws pertain to defenses that justify one’s actions, in what would otherwise be considered criminal conduct. Arizona has some of the broadest, most liberal “Stand-Your-Ground” laws in the country. One such provision is that a person can be protected under the laws if an incident where deadly physical force is reasonably necessary outside their home. In fact, it applies anywhere in Arizona where they “have the right to be”.

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“When a defendant pleads “not-guilty” due to a “justification” defense, they are basically affirming that they used force against another person, for a justifiable reason described under A.R.S. § 13-411; and thus, their actions did not constitute a criminal defense.”

Justification laws are sometimes referred to as “Stand Your Ground” laws. They refer to actions of another resulting from self-defense, or force needed by a person to prevent criminal conduct against them. Some Arizona laws that relate to Justification defenses are found under

A.R.S. § 13 – 205 and A.R.S § 13 – 411. Arizona is one of more than 20 states who have enacted such legislation involving “Stand Your Ground” laws. The states that have such laws, use their own variation of language and provisions. In Arizona a person may lawfully use force  in self-defense:

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