‘Stand your ground’-type laws across the country
In a “no duty to retreat” state, a person does not have to flee from the threat of physical harm, while “stand your ground” laws state that a person may use force if they believe they are threatened.
A map showing the states that have “stand your ground” laws (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and South Carolina); the states and territories that have “no duty to retreat” laws (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming); and the states that have court-allowed “stand your ground” rulings (California, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia and Washington). In addition to the District of Columbia, these states have none of the above: Connecticut, Delaware,Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.
