Origin English common law, articulated by Sir Edward Coke in the 1628 Institutes of the Laws of England.
The castle doctrine is a common law and, in many US states, statutory principle that designates a person's home or other lawfully occupied place as a location where that person may use force, including deadly force, to defend against an intruder without a legal duty to retreat first. Its roots trace to English common law and the maxim that a man's house is his castle, articulated by Sir Edward Coke in his 1628 Institutes of the Laws of England; many US jurisdictions have since codified versions of the doctrine and, in some cases, extended it beyond the home under stand-your-ground statutes.
Facts
Origin PeriodEnglish common law, articulated by Sir Edward Coke in the 1628 Institutes of the Laws of England. 1 Core PrincipleA person lawfully within their own home or other legally occupied place has no duty to retreat before using reasonable, including deadly, force against an intruder who poses a threat. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
The castle doctrine and stand-your-ground statutes carve exceptions from the traditional duty to retreat.
In Legal System
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