In Lesson 4 of CCW Safe’s 36 Lessons for Armed Defenders series, the focus turns to one of the most critical and misunderstood aspects of self-defense law: the threat must be imminent and serious. Criminal defense attorney Don West explains the core legal threshold that governs the use of deadly force across the United States. While statutes vary slightly by state, the foundational rule is consistent: a defender must reasonably believe they are facing the imminent threat of death or great bodily harm. But what does “imminent” really mean in a courtroom? And how serious does an injury have to be…

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