Self-defense and Michigan law

The Second Amendment right to own a firearm benefits both men and women. A firearm at your side might just save your life or the lives of those you care about. In fact, Michigan, like other states, has its own “stand your ground” law that allows you to defend yourself when needed without fear of criminal prosecution.

We all have the legal right to be in certain places, like our homes or someplace on our property. Someone might accost you with the intent to rob or kill you, and that is when you may use a gun to defend yourself. Michigan statute 780,972 makes it clear that if you have the legal right to be somewhere when attacked, you have the right to use deadly force.

Threat of harm

According to the law, a person has the right to use deadly force under the following conditions. First, a person should not engage in criminal activity while using deadly force. The person must believe that death, great bodily harm or a sexual assault is imminent unless the person uses force to stop it from happening. So if you defend yourself with a gun under these circumstances, the state should not charge you with a crime.

Increase in women gun owners

The fact that the law protects your right to defend yourself is important for both men and women to know. Increasingly, more women are becoming gun owners. A news story run by KYNV out of Las Vegas explains that because of recent public shootings, more women are becoming gun owners in large part due to protect themselves and their loved ones. According to a 2017 Pew Research Center report, one in five women are firearm owners.

The state self defense law is important to understand so that you know your rights. The law covers both deadly and non-deadly force, so a person who survives your effort to defend yourself may try to claim that you were in the wrong to use force. And since an increasing number of women are taking up firearms, they may find themselves in this situation as well.