self-defense

self-defense
The protection of one's person or property against some injury attempted by another. The right of such protection. An excuse for the use of force in resisting an attack on the person. Various state criminal statutes define the conditions of self defense. The Model Penal Code provides:
"A person is justified in the use of force against an aggressor when and to the extent it appears to him and he reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or another against such aggressor's imminent use of unlawful force. One who is not the aggressor in an encounter is justified in using a reasonable amount of force against his adversary when he reasonably believes:
(a) that he is in immediate danger of unlawful bodily harm from his adversary and
(b) that the use of such force is necessary to avoid this danger. It may be reasonable to use nondeadly force against the adversary's nondeadly attack (i.e., one threatening only bodily harm), and to use deadly force against his deadly attack (an attack threatening death or serious bodily harm), but it is never reasonable to use deadly force against his nondeadly attack." Model Penal Code No. 3.04. The principles of self-defense as a justification for the torts or assault and battery are very similar to those governing self-defense as a justification in the criminal law.
See Restatement, Second, Torts, No.No. 633, 65, 67 (1965).
See also
- reasonable force

Black's law dictionary. . 1990.

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