<P> The states that have adopted stand - your - ground in practice, either through case law / precedent, jury instructions or by other means, are California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington . </P> <P> For example, Michigan's stand - your - ground law, MCL 780.972, provides that "(a) n individual who has not or is not engaged in the commission of a crime at the time he or she uses deadly force may use deadly force against another individual anywhere he or she has the legal right to be with no duty to retreat if...(t) he individual honestly and reasonably believes that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent" the imminent death, great bodily harm, or sexual assault of himself or another individual . </P> <P> Stand - your - ground laws are frequently criticized and called "shoot first" laws by critics, including the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence . In Florida, self - defense claims tripled in the years following enactment . The law's critics argue that Florida's law makes it very difficult to prosecute cases against individuals who shoot others and then claim self - defense . The shooter can argue that he felt threatened, and in most cases, the only witness who could have argued otherwise is the deceased . Before passage of the law, Miami police chief John F. Timoney called the law unnecessary and dangerous in that "(w) hether it's trick - or - treaters or kids playing in the yard of someone who doesn't want them there or some drunk guy stumbling into the wrong house, you're encouraging people to possibly use deadly physical force where it shouldn't be used ." </P> <P> In Florida, a task force examining the law heard testimony that the law is "confusing". Those testifying to the task force include Buddy Jacobs, a lawyer representing the Florida Prosecuting Attorney's Association . Jacobs recommended the law's repeal, feeling that modifying the law would not fix its problems . Florida governor Rick Scott plans his own investigation into the law . In a July 16, 2013 speech in the wake of the jury verdict acquitting George Zimmerman of charges stemming from the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Attorney General Eric Holder criticized stand - your - ground laws as "senselessly expand (ing) the concept of self - defense and sow (ing) dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods ." The defendant, George Zimmerman, claims he was restrained at the time of the shooting, thus allowing no option for retreat and making' stand your ground' irrelevant to the case . Florida's legislature is currently considering a bill that would allow people to show a gun or fire a warning shot during a confrontation without drawing a lengthy prison sentence . </P>

When did the stand your ground law start