castle doctrine

castle doctrine
 n.— «The Rawls shooting is a poster child case for proponents of what has come to be called the “castle doctrine”—the notion founded in British common law that one’s home is one’s castle and that the owner of the castle has a right to defend it. The “castle doctrine” governs the rules of self-defense for criminal and tort law in almost every state, including Mississippi.» —“Rawls shooting to ignite ‘castle doctrine’ fires” by Sid Salter Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.) Nov. 30, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

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