stand your ground law

noun

variants or less commonly Stand Your Ground law

criminal law

: a law providing immunity from prosecution with no duty to retreat for a person who is threatened with harm while lawfully in a place and who uses force including deadly force in the reasonable belief that such force is necessary to prevent their own or another person's death or great bodily injury

At least 22 states now have stand your ground laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, but all US states give wide latitude to homeowners who kill intruders, as long as their fears of injury were reasonable.—

Patrik Jonsson

[John] Milburn said that after years of judicial decisions on the stand your ground law and others on self-defense, "It may be prudent for the legislature to review all of them to ensure they are being interpreted and are working as intended."—

John Hanna and Heather Hollingsworth

Examples of stand your ground law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Decades after Trayvon’s death, self-defense law still questioned The still-controversial Stand Your Ground law that was used to get Martinez off the hook was passed in 2005. —

Charles Rabin, Miami Herald, 23 May 2024 In each instance, including Neely’s killing, debates on self-defense, Stand Your Ground laws, and the Second Amendment have become a point of contention for the nation. —

Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2023 Authorities came under pressure Tuesday to arrest and charge the woman who fired through her front her door and killed Owens in a case that has put Florida’s divisive stand your ground law back into the spotlight. —

Bycurt Anderson, Fortune, 7 June 2023 Legal experts say homeowner Andrew Lester may claim self- defense under Missouri's stand your ground law. —

CBS News, 23 Apr. 2023 Martin's death, like Owens', shone a spotlight on Florida's stand your ground laws. —

Austin L. Miller, USA TODAY, 8 June 2023 Missouri and Florida are among about 30 states that have stand your ground laws. —

Bycurt Anderson, Fortune, 7 June 2023 The white woman who fatally shot her Black neighbor was finally arrested Tuesday after authorities said her actions were not protected by Florida’s stand your ground law. —

Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 7 June 2023 Neely’s killing comes at a time of fierce debate about self-defense, Stand Your Ground laws, and the Second Amendment. —

Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of stand your ground law was in 1934

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Stand your ground law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stand%20your%20ground%20law. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

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