ILCS » Chapter 720 · Act 5
Illinois Compiled Statutes

720 ILCS 5/7-4 (2026)

Use of force by aggressor

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section IL-ILGAilga.gov JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
(720 ILCS 5/7-4) (from Ch. 38, par. 7-4)
    Sec. 7-4. Use of force by aggressor. The justification described in the preceding Sections of this Article is not available to a person who:
        (a) is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping
    
after the commission of, a forcible felony; or
        (b) initially provokes the use of force against
    
himself, with the intent to use such force as an excuse to inflict bodily harm upon the assailant; or
        (c) otherwise initially provokes the use of force
    
against himself, unless:
            (1) such force is so great that he reasonably
        
believes that he is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm, and that he has exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger other than the use of force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to the assailant; or
            (2) in good faith, he withdraws from physical
        
contact with the assailant and indicates clearly to the assailant that he desires to withdraw and terminate the use of force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of force.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 1983.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 30 cases (12 in the last 5 years), 1993–2026 · leading case: People v. Hodges, 912 N.E.2d 1204 (Ill. 2009).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
People v. Hodges, 912 N.E.2d 1204 (Ill. 2009). · cites it 3× “720 ILCS 5/7-4 (West 2006). Section 7-4 provides in relevant part that the justification for using force *1217 "described in the preceding Sections of this Article is not available to a person who: * * * (c) Otherwise initially provokes the use of force against himself, unless:…”
Anthony Olvera v. David Gomez, 2 F.4th 659 (7th Cir. 2021). · cites it 2× “720 ILCS 5/7-4(c)(1). No. 18-3435 21 b. As we turn to an examination of the state appellate court’s evaluation of Mr.”
People v. Rutigliano, 2020 IL App (1st) 171729 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c)(1) (West 2016). The initial aggressor instruction, IPI Criminal No.”
People v. Cruz, 2021 IL App (1st) 190132 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). “See 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c) (West 2016); IPI Criminal 4th No.”
People v. Olaska, 2017 IL App (2d) 150567 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). · cites it 2× “¶ 126 Second, he points out that the definitional instruction for aggravated battery did not state that the prosecution was required to prove the elements of aggravated battery beyond a reasonable doubt.”
People v. Olaska, 2017 IL App (2d) 150567 (Ill. App. Ct. 2018). · cites it 2× “2d 404, 411 (1983); see also 720 ILCS 5/7-4(a) (West 2012) (self-defense cannot be claimed by a person who “[i]s attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony”)).”
People v. Bush, 2022 IL App (3d) 190283 (Ill. App. Ct. 2022). “See 720 ILCS 5/7-4(a) (West 2016) (indicating that self-defense is not available to a person who is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony); People v.”
People v. Johnson, 616 N.E.2d 1026 (Ill. App. Ct. 1993). · cites it 2× “7-4(c)(l) (now 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c)(l) (West 1992))) provides that the defense of justifiable use of force is not available to a person who initially provokes the use of force against himself, with the intent to use such force as an excuse to inflict bodily harm upon the assailant;…”
People v. Bush, 2022 IL App (1st) 210509 (Ill. App. Ct. 2022). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c) (West 2018). ¶ 34 In order for defendant to succeed on his self-defense claim, he had to show that one of these exceptions applied.”
People v. Harmon, 2015 IL App (1st) 122345 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “¶ 61 Defendant also argues that he and his friends cannot be considered the "initial aggressors" under section 7-4 of the Criminal Code (720 ILCS 5/7-4 (West 2008)) for merely walking around the street of Broadview with hats on.”
People v. O'Neal, 2016 IL App (1st) 132284 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-4(a) (West 2010). Aggravated discharge of a firearm is a forcible felony.”
People v. Coleman, 2023 IL App (2d) 220008 (Ill. App. Ct. 2023). “720 ILCS 5/7-4 (West 2020); see also People v.”
Show all 30 citing cases →
— 720 ILCS 5/7-4(a) — 12 cases
People v. Olaska, 2017 IL App (2d) 150567 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “¶ 126 Second, he points out that the definitional instruction for aggravated battery did not state that the prosecution was required to prove the elements of aggravated battery beyond a reasonable doubt.”
People v. Olaska, 2017 IL App (2d) 150567 (Ill. App. Ct. 2018). “2d 404, 411 (1983); see also 720 ILCS 5/7-4(a) (West 2012) (self-defense cannot be claimed by a person who “[i]s attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony”)).”
People v. Bush, 2022 IL App (3d) 190283 (Ill. App. Ct. 2022). “See 720 ILCS 5/7-4(a) (West 2016) (indicating that self-defense is not available to a person who is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony); People v.”
People v. O'Neal, 2016 IL App (1st) 132284 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-4(a) (West 2010). Aggravated discharge of a firearm is a forcible felony.”
People v. O'Neal, 2016 IL App (1st) 132284 (Ill. App. Ct. 2016).
— 720 ILCS 5/7-4(b) — 1 case
People v. Williams, 2026 IL App (2d) 240611-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2026).
— 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c) — 4 cases
People v. Cruz, 2021 IL App (1st) 190132 (Ill. App. Ct. 2021). “See 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c) (West 2016); IPI Criminal 4th No.”
People v. Bush, 2022 IL App (1st) 210509 (Ill. App. Ct. 2022). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c) (West 2018). ¶ 34 In order for defendant to succeed on his self-defense claim, he had to show that one of these exceptions applied.”
People v. Abudayeh, 2026 IL App (1st) 231645-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2026).
Billy B. Tucker v. Rodney J. Ahitow, 52 F.3d 653 (7th Cir. 1995).
— 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c)(1) — 4 cases
Anthony Olvera v. David Gomez, 2 F.4th 659 (7th Cir. 2021). “720 ILCS 5/7-4(c)(1). No. 18-3435 21 b. As we turn to an examination of the state appellate court’s evaluation of Mr.”
People v. Rutigliano, 2020 IL App (1st) 171729 (Ill. App. Ct. 2020). “” 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c)(1) (West 2016). The initial aggressor instruction, IPI Criminal No.”
People v. Williams, 2025 IL App (1st) 240582 (Ill. App. Ct. 2025).
People v. Piwowar, 2020 IL App (2d) 180039-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2020).
— 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c)(2) — 2 cases
People v. Abudayeh, 2026 IL App (1st) 231645-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2026).
People v. Williams, 2026 IL App (2d) 240611-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2026).
— 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c)(l) — 1 case
People v. Johnson, 616 N.E.2d 1026 (Ill. App. Ct. 1993). “7-4(c)(l) (now 720 ILCS 5/7-4(c)(l) (West 1992))) provides that the defense of justifiable use of force is not available to a person who initially provokes the use of force against himself, with the intent to use such force as an excuse to inflict bodily harm upon the assailant;…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.