Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 782.02 (2025)

Justifiable use of deadly force.

✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session

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782.02 Justifiable use of deadly force.—The use of deadly force is justifiable when a person is resisting any attempt to murder such person or to commit any felony upon him or her or upon or in any dwelling house in which such person shall be.

History.—ss. 4, 5, ch. 1637, 1868; RS 2378; ch. 4967, 1901; s. 1, ch. 4964, 1901; GS 3203; RGS 5033; CGL 7135; s. 66, ch. 74-383; s. 1, ch. 75-24; s. 45, ch. 75-298; s. 1197, ch. 97-102.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 63 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1945–2025 · leading case: Pena v. State, 901 So. 2d 781 (Fla. 2005).

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Pena v. State, 901 So. 2d 781 (Fla. 2005). · cites it 2× “NOTES [1] The Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases provides: Justifiable Homicide § 782.02, Fla. Stat. The killing of a human being is justifiable homicide and lawful if necessarily done while resisting an attempt to murder or commit a felony upon the defendant,…”

Falco v. State, 407 So. 2d 203 (Fla. 1981). · cites it 5× “031, although expressly excluding the dwelling in reference to the protection of real property, can be read to include the dwelling in reference to the protection of personal property.”

Dias v. State, 812 So. 2d 487 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002). · cites it 3× “He relies on both section 782.02, Florida Statutes (1997), and the "castle doctrine.”

In Re Jury Inst. in Cr. Cases (No. 2005-4), 930 So. 2d 612 (Fla. 2006). · cites it 4× “§ 782.02, Fla. Stat. The use of deadly force likely to cause death or great bodily harm is justifiable only if the defendant reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to [himself] [herself] while resisting: 1.”

In Re Stand. Jury Instructions in Crim. Cases—report No. 2014-06, 191 So. 3d 411 (Fla. 2016). · cites it 4× “Both Chapter 776 and § 782.02, Fla. Stat., address the justifiable use of deadly force.”

In Re: Stand. Jury Instructions in Crim. Cases-Report 2017-07., 257 So. 3d 908 (Fla. 2018). · cites it 4× “, and many statutes within Chapter 776 address the justifiable use of deadly force , however, § 782.02, Fla. Stat., does not address the concept of stand-your-ground/no duty to retreat.”

Brown v. State, 454 So. 2d 596 (Fla. 5th DCA 1984). · cites it 3× “The justifiable homicide statute, section 782.02, Florida Statutes (1981), is declaratory of the common law.”

Bagley v. State, 119 So. 2d 400 (Fla. 1st DCA 1960). · cites it 6× “" Section 782.02, Florida Statutes, 1957, F.”

William D. Cobb v. Louie L. Wainwright, Sec'y, Dep't of Offender Rehab., 666 F.2d 966 (5th Cir. 1982). · cites it 4× “Under Florida law, a homicide is punishable if it is not justifiable under either Fla.Stat. § 782.02 (1975) 5 or Chapter *970 776 of the Florida statutes, 6 or is not excusable under Fla.”

In Re Stand. Jury Inst. in Crim. Cases No. 2007-03, 976 So. 2d 1081 (Fla. 2008). · cites it 2× “§ 782.02, Fla. Stat. The use of deadly force is justifiable only if the defendant reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to [himself] [herself] while resisting: 1.”

Pena v. State, 829 So. 2d 289 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002). · cites it 2× “The following standard instructions are the instructions omitted during this trial: JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE § 782.02, Fla. Stat. The killing of a human being is justifiable homicide and lawful if necessarily done while resisting an attempt to murder or commit a felony upon the…”

Odeh v. State, 82 So. 3d 915 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011). · cites it 3× “6(f), Justifiable Use of Deadly Force, in which section 782.02, Florida Statutes is the statutory basis for the instruction.”

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— 782.02(2) — 4 cases

Whitehead v. State, 245 So. 2d 94 (Fla. 2d DCA 1971).

Ross v. Wainwright, 224 So. 2d 779 (Fla. 1st DCA 1969).

State v. Wade, 305 So. 2d 851 (Fla. 3d DCA 1974).

Frank v. State, 237 So. 2d 823 (Fla. 4th DCA 1970).

— 782.02(2)(a) — 1 case

Weaver v. State, 220 So. 2d 53 (Fla. 2d DCA 1969).

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