State-by-State Summary
| State | Stand Your Ground | Castle Doctrine | Duty to Retreat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | Yes | No |
| Alaska | Yes | Yes | No |
| Arizona | Yes | Yes | No |
| California | No | Yes | Yes (in public) |
| Colorado | No | Yes (Make My Day Law) | Yes |
| Florida | Yes | Yes | No |
| Georgia | Yes | Yes | No |
| Illinois | No | Yes | Yes (some exceptions) |
| Indiana | Yes | Yes | No |
| Louisiana | Yes | Yes | No |
| Massachusetts | No | Yes (limited) | Yes |
| Michigan | Yes | Yes | No |
| Mississippi | Yes | Yes | No |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | No |
| New York | No | Yes (limited) | Yes |
| North Carolina | Yes | Yes | No |
| Ohio | Yes (since 2021) | Yes | No |
| Oregon | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Yes (limited) | Yes | No (with exceptions) |
| Texas | Yes | Yes | No |
| Utah | Yes | Yes | No |
| Washington | Yes | Yes | No |
| Wisconsin | Yes (in most situations) | Yes | No |
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Duty to Retreat | Requires you to retreat (if safely possible) before using deadly force in public. |
| Stand Your Ground | No duty to retreat before using deadly force in public if you are lawfully present. |
| Castle Doctrine | No duty to retreat when defending yourself at home (and sometimes workplace or vehicle). |
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Stand Your Ground States (30+ total): Most Southern and Western states fall into this category.
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Castle Doctrine is near-universal: Almost all states recognize some form of Castle Doctrine for home defense.
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Strict Duty to Retreat: Found mostly in the Northeast and a few Midwestern states (e.g., NY, MA, OR).
