What must a defendant establish to claim self-defense?

To successfully claim self-defense, a defendant must establish that the force used was necessary to prevent imminent harm. This means that the defendant believed that they were facing an immediate threat, and that their response was reasonable and proportional to the perceived threat. Self-defense claims hinge on the idea that a person has the right to protect themselves from harm. Thus, the emphasis is on the necessity of the defensive actions taken.

This requirement ensures that self-defense is justified only in situations where a reasonable person would similarly perceive a threat. The concept of necessity implies that the defendant had no other viable options, and resorting to force was the only means to prevent the imminent harm they faced. This standard helps balance the right to self-protection with the need to discourage unreasonable or excessive responses to threats.

Other options do not support the foundational principle of self-defense. For instance, retaliation or previous harm does not justify preemptively using force against another person; self-defense is about immediate threats rather than past grievances. Additionally, it is not necessary for a defendant to have initiated the confrontation to claim self-defense; they could be acting in response to an attack started by another. Thus, understanding the necessity of the force used is critical to establishing a valid self-defense claim.