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2018 Georgia Code 16-3-23.1 | Car Wreck Lawyer

TITLE 16 CRIMES AND OFFENSES

Section 3. Defenses to Criminal Prosecutions, 16-3-1 through 16-3-40.

ARTICLE 2 JUSTIFICATION AND EXCUSE

16-3-23.1. No duty to retreat prior to use of force in self-defense.

A person who uses threats or force in accordance with Code Section 16-3-21, relating to the use of force in defense of self or others, Code Section 16-3-23, relating to the use of force in defense of a habitation, or Code Section 16-3-24, relating to the use of force in defense of property other than a habitation, has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and use force as provided in said Code sections, including deadly force.

(Code 1981, §16-3-23.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 477, § 1/SB 396.)

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Reversible error in failing to charge jury on lack of duty to retreat.

- Trial court committed reversible error in failing to charge the jury on the lack of a duty to retreat under O.C.G.A. § 16-3-23.1 because self-defense, O.C.G.A. § 16-3-21(a), was the defendant's sole defense, and the issue of retreat was squarely placed in issue by the prosecutor's cross-examination of the defendant, by the defendant's explanation of why the defendant did not drive away from the victim, whom the defendant characterized as the aggressor, and by the prosecutor's closing argument; the evidence of the defendant's guilt was not overwhelming, given that the case turned solely on the credibility of the defendant, the victim, and the other witnesses. Hill v. State, 310 Ga. App. 695, 713 S.E.2d 891 (2011).

Plain error not shown for failing to charge on no duty to retreat.

- Under a plain error analysis in the defendant's trial for murder, the trial court did not err when the court failed to charge the jury that one acting in defense of self has no duty to retreat because the jury charges given in the case fairly informed the jury as to the law of self-defense and the defendant failed to affirmatively show that the failure to charge on the duty to retreat probably affected the outcome of the trial. Shaw v. State, 292 Ga. 871, 742 S.E.2d 707 (2013).

Cited in Webb v. State, 284 Ga. 122, 663 S.E.2d 690 (2008).

RESEARCH REFERENCES

ALR.

- Construction and application of "make my day" and "stand your ground" statutes, 76 A.L.R.6th 1.

Cases Citing Georgia Code 16-3-23.1 From Courtlistener.com

Total Results: 20

Rana v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2024-10-15

Snippet: habitation only in three circumstances. See OCGA § 16-3-23 (1)-(3). Appellant relies on the third circumstance

Russell v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2024-08-13

Snippet: accordance with Code Section 16-3-21, 16-3-23, 16-3-23.1, or 16-3-24 shall be immune from criminal

Gold v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2024-05-29

Snippet: the law, see OCGA §§ 16-3-20 (1); 16-3-21 (a); 16-3-23.1, and, given the evidence presented, the trial

JACKSON v. THE STATE (Two Cases)

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2024-02-06

Snippet: assault or offer of personal violence[.] OCGA § 16-3-23 (1). However, “[w]here there is no evidence that

Priester v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2023-10-11

Snippet: himself or herself or a third person”)14; OCGA § 16-3-23.1 (providing that a person who used force “in defense

Reese v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2023-08-21

Snippet: and use force” as authorized by law. OCGA § 16- 3-23.1. And when a defendant sufficiently raises a justification

Whittaker v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2023-08-21

Snippet: using deadly force in self-defense. See OCGA § 16-3-23.1.5 Because he did not object to the trial court’s

Harris v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2023-04-18

Snippet: accordance with Code Section 16-3-21, 16-3-23, 16-3-23.1, or 16-3-24 shall be immune from criminal

Gude v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2022-06-01

Snippet: Code section[], including deadly force. OCGA § 16-3-23.1. With regard to the timing of Gude’s motion

Bates v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2022-01-04

Snippet: instead of defense of habitation under OCGA § 16-3-23 (1). See Benham, 277 Ga. at 517. There, we determined

Bates v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2021-12-14

Snippet: instead of defense of habitation under OCGA § 16-3-23 (1). See Benham, 277 Ga. at 517. There, we determined

Hughes v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2021-07-07

Snippet: § 16-3-21], including deadly force.” OCGA § 16-3-23.1. If his use of force falls within these parameters

Redding v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2021-05-17

Snippet: SE2d 909) (2009); see also OCGA §§ 16-3-21, 16-3-23.1; Rammage v. State, 307 Ga. 763, 766-767 (2) (838

Broxton v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2019-06-10

Citation: 829 S.E.2d 333

Snippet: accordance with Code Section 16-3-21, 16-3-23, 16-3-23.1, or 16-3-24 shall be immune from criminal prosecution

Swanson v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2019-06-10

Citation: 829 S.E.2d 312

Snippet: jury charge on defense of habitation. See OCGA § 16-3-23 (1) & (3).2 We agree. The evidence presented at

Reed v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2018-09-10

Citation: 819 S.E.2d 44, 304 Ga. 400

Snippet: the manner set forth in OCGA § 16-3-23 (1) or (3).5 See OCGA § 16-3-23.1.6 Even assuming the evidence showed

Dent v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2018-02-19

Citation: 810 S.E.2d 527

Snippet: accordance with Code Section 16-3-21, 16-3-23, 16-3-23.1, or 16-3-24 shall be immune from criminal prosecution

Arnold v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2017-09-13

Citation: 302 Ga. 129, 805 S.E.2d 94, 2017 Ga. LEXIS 774

Snippet: retreated before shooting Osborne. But OCGA § 16-3-23.1 clearly provides that a person who is authorized

Henry County Board of Education v. S. G.

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2017-08-28

Citation: 301 Ga. 794, 804 S.E.2d 427

Snippet: another’s imminent use of unlawful force. See OCGA § 16-3-23.1. In other words, the law “[does] not require S

Walker v. State

Court: Supreme Court of Georgia | Date Filed: 2017-06-19

Citation: 301 Ga. 482, 801 S.E.2d 804, 2017 WL 2623875, 2017 Ga. LEXIS 534

Snippet: prevent the commission of the felony. OCGA § 16-3-23 (1), (3). Thus, among other things, for defense