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80% · Q16/20
Question 16 of 20

What is the legal difference between 'stand your ground' laws and the traditional 'duty to retreat' doctrine?

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Explanation
The traditional common law 'castle doctrine' held that a person has no duty to retreat when attacked in their own home. The duty to retreat, applied in states like New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, requires that when outside the home, a person must avoid using deadly force by safely retreating if possible before resorting to lethal self-defense. Stand your ground laws, which Florida famously enacted in 2005 and which more than 30 states have since adopted in some form, eliminate the duty to retreat anywhere a person is lawfully present. These laws have been the subject of intense debate following high-profile cases and studies suggesting they have not reduced crime but have been associated with increases in homicide rates in some analyses.
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Civil rights protections under federal and state law prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, education, and public accommodations.