Self-Defense In California
In California, you can’t be found guilty of a violent crime provided you can prove that the only reason you used the violent action was in self-defense. In addition to proving that you were in danger, you’ll also have to prove that your actions were reasonable given the set of circumstances you found yourself in.
To use the self-defense argument in California you must:
- Prove that your life was in danger, that you were about to be touched unlawfully (sexual assault,) or believed you’d be injured
- That you truly believed the amount of force you used during the action was the only way you could protect yourself
- That you didn’t use more force than the situation justified
California has a surprising number of situations where self-defense is a reasonable defense, including:
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