Specific Branch and Level of Government Involved
The stand your ground law is decided on a statewide basis. Individual states write their own variation of the bill and vote on it. The Stand Your Ground laws are extensions of the Castle Doctrine, which 46 states have incorporated into law. Less than half of the states with Castle Doctrine laws include the extension of Stand Your Ground. The law varies, but essentially states that a person under threat may use deadly force without first attempting to retreat if said person is in a place he or she has a lawful right to be in, is not engaging in illegal activities, and believes his or her life is in danger due to the actions of another individual. The laws mostly affect the judicial branches of government in that they determine whether or not a person will face jail time as a result of the homicide he or she committed.