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SYG really only introduces one new thing to self defense assertions, civil immunity. HyogaRott Send a noteboard - 19/07/2013 04:07:16 PM

Needless to say, trial lawyer organizations hate it almost as much as they hate tort reform.

Prior to the SYG laws, even if acquitted at trial based on self-defense, you could, and often were sued civilly. It became a clichéd joke about the burglar or mugger who would sue you for "unsafe working conditions" but sadly it was often the case.

SYG grants immunity from being sued by the person you are defending yourself against. It also stopped all prosecution after a judicial hearing (much cheaper for all parties than litigating a full jury trial). There is another provision (though I am not sure how it operates in practice) that can make the state libel for defending yourself in a criminal action that is deemed Stand Your Ground.

In the Zimmerman case, the defense elected not to persue a Stand Your Ground immunity before trial. However, they have essentially stated that they will do so if the Martin family, or anyone else, files civil suit against them. Zimmerman would most likely win any such SYG hearing based on the fact that he has already been criminally acquitted based upon a self-defense assertion.

I am not sure if attaing SYG status after the criminal trial, when they elected not to have the hearing pre-trial, would triger the states financial obligation for the defense or not. Personally, I don't think it should; but as a matter of law it may. Isaac might have an idea there.

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Okay, how can you use the Trayvon Martin case AGAINST the stand-your-ground laws? - 17/07/2013 10:15:55 PM 1114 Views
You forgot to mention that Zimmerman didn't actaully use a stand your ground defense *NM* - 18/07/2013 02:03:51 AM 369 Views
the judge included it in the instructions to the jury - 19/07/2013 04:37:43 AM 674 Views
I love the let me say my piece then end the convesation tactic - 19/07/2013 11:50:02 AM 658 Views
Sources - 19/07/2013 12:35:39 PM 789 Views
so she did - 19/07/2013 01:08:08 PM 655 Views
um, when did the collegiate sports organization get involved in politics? - 18/07/2013 08:17:24 PM 1067 Views
I imagine he meant to type NAACP. *NM* - 18/07/2013 08:25:26 PM 316 Views
It's a combination of even more guns in circulation and no duty to retreat if you feel threatened - 18/07/2013 09:13:47 PM 627 Views
blacks are incarcerated at a higher rate because they commit crime at a higher rate - 19/07/2013 04:31:06 AM 666 Views
[citation needed] - 19/07/2013 06:12:04 PM 615 Views
Don't be tedious, such a claim is unprovable but also the most logical inference - 19/07/2013 07:10:22 PM 665 Views
If logic says so, then obviously that must be the only course of action possible.... - 19/07/2013 07:44:44 PM 748 Views
Um, how'd you get that out of my remarks? - 19/07/2013 08:48:09 PM 630 Views
Honestly, I feel like we are getting into some dangerous territory here - 24/07/2013 06:25:15 PM 697 Views
I wonder what we can call the racism version of Godwinning. - 24/07/2013 07:01:20 PM 630 Views
Reductio ad Racism maybe? *NM* - 24/07/2013 08:16:28 PM 280 Views
We? I don't feel I'm in dangerous territory at all - 24/07/2013 08:10:24 PM 578 Views
lets look at your numbers becuase they are interesting - 20/07/2013 03:25:31 PM 625 Views
SYG really only introduces one new thing to self defense assertions, civil immunity. - 19/07/2013 04:07:16 PM 732 Views

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