USE OF FORCE MAY BE JUSTIFIED FOR SELF-DEFENSE

Self-defense is an important legal concept when a person is facing criminal charges for assault or other alleged wrongful conduct. That is because, under some circumstances, a Colorado resident may be justified in using force against another person, even if that force causes the other party injury or death. While this post offers no legal advice to its readers, it does provide an overview of how and when use of force may be permissible in criminal law situation.

At its most basic level, self-defense allows a person to protect themselves when another party is threatening to or is actually using force against them. No person is required to sustain injury without fighting back: self-defense recognizes the right of a person to protect their own body. A use of force in these contexts is justified, if it is reasonable for the individual to believe that force will be used against them and they only use enough force to meet the threat they face.

To expand on this point, if a person is attacked by another who is using only their fists to inflict harm, it may not be justified for the victim to use a firearm to stop their attacker. The use of force they employ may exceed the threat that they face and may not justify a self-defense theory of law.

The examples and discussions offered in this post are illustrative and are not intended to be read as legal advice or interpretation. Criminal defense strategies should be tailored to the needs of specific criminal defendants and those individuals should understand their legal options and how to craft their best defense.