In some states, you have a duty to retreat if you’re faced with potential harm. You have to try to avoid the confrontation. This doesn’t mean that you are obligated to avoid every confrontation, as it may be impossible, but you need to make a good-faith effort to do so before using physical force.
In other states, however, you are allowed to stand your ground. You can’t seek out confrontation, but there is no duty to retreat if it finds you. You are allowed to use force to defend yourself, though it should be a reasonable amount of force. Which laws does Maryland use?
It depends on where you are
It all depends on where the incident occurs. If you are in your home, the Castle Doctrine states that you do not have to retreat. You can stand your ground, which may lead to physical violence between the two of you. For instance, if you genuinely fear that someone is trying to break into your home and may injure or kill you, you may be able to use deadly force to defend yourself.
However, if the situation takes place outside of your home, then you do need to retreat if possible. There are some exceptions to this, such as if avoiding the incident is impossible or would be unsafe for other reasons. But you can’t just stand your ground anywhere without trying to avoid the altercation. Outside of the home, physical force should be a last resort.
If you’re facing charges and you believe you were just defending yourself, you can see how complex the law is and why the little details matter so much. Be sure you understand all of your legal options.