New Hampshire has a Stand Your Ground law that allows individuals to use deadly force in self-defense without a duty to retreat, as long as they are in a place where they have a legal right to be.
Key Elements of New Hampshire’s Stand Your Ground Law
- The law permits the use of deadly force if a person reasonably believes they or someone else is facing imminent death or serious bodily harm.
- There is no obligation to retreat before using deadly force in self-defense outside the home if the person is somewhere they lawfully have a right to be, such as public streets, businesses, or parking lots.
- The law applies not just inside the home (the traditional “castle doctrine”) but extends to all locations where the individual is lawfully present.
- Justified use of deadly force includes defense against threats during burglary, kidnapping, forcible sexual acts, or felonies on one’s property or elsewhere legally occupied.
Difference from Castle Doctrine
- Before 2011, New Hampshire had a castle doctrine requiring retreat in public spaces.
- The current stand your ground law removes the duty to retreat in any place of lawful presence, expanding the right to self-defense beyond the home.
Controversies and Considerations
- Supporters argue it empowers law-abiding citizens to defend themselves without hesitation.
- Critics warn it may encourage “shoot first” behavior and increase violence, questioning the law’s impact on public safety and racial disparities in enforcement.
New Hampshire’s 2025 Stand Your Ground law legally protects the use of deadly force in self-defense without a duty to retreat, as long as the defender is lawfully present at the location and faces an imminent threat of serious harm or death.
Sources
(https://www.citizenscount.org/issues/stand-your-ground-castle-doctrine)
(https://www.justia.com/criminal/defenses/stand-your-ground-laws-50-state-survey/)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law)
(https://giffords.org/lawcenter/state-laws/stand-your-ground-in-new-hampshire/)
(https://courts-state-nh-us.libguides.com/castledoctrine)
