People are generally required to broadly respect one another’s personal space and physical boundaries. It is inappropriate to touch another person without their permission. In some cases, unwanted physical contact could lead to allegations of assault.
Particularly in scenarios where the incident leaves someone injured, the state may decide to pursue charges after a confrontation turns physical. Sometimes, those accused of acts of violence did not intend to hurt someone else. Instead, they acted for their protection or the protection of other people.
Can those accused of physical violence in Michigan claim that they acted in self-defense?
Michigan has thorough self-defense laws
Michigan State statutes acknowledge several key self-defense concepts. When people face circumstances that other reasonable people might recognize as dangerous, they can use physical force to protect themselves and others.
It is even theoretically lawful to use lethal force without first attempting to retreat or leave the situation. In other words, Michigan has a “stand-your-ground” statute that allows people to protect themselves, their property and other people. They can use non-lethal and even lethal force, if necessary, without trying to flee if they face a credible threat to their safety.
Michigan also recognizes the castle doctrine. In scenarios where other people illegally force entry into a dwelling unit, people have the right to defend themselves with force. They can operate under the presumption that those people have criminal intentions.
Not all violence is unlawful. Provided that people can show that the circumstances gave them reason to fear for their safety or to believe that a criminal was about to target another person, they can potentially justify the use of force to defend themselves or others.
Discussing what happened prior to assault charges with a skilled legal team can lead to an effective criminal defense strategy. Claims of self-defense can help people avoid convictions in specific circumstances.