S.B. No. 237 Summary

• Establishes that a person not engaged in illegal activity has no duty to retreat from any lawful location before using reasonable force, including deadly force, in self-defense, defense of another, or defense of their residence.

• Prohibits courts and juries from considering retreat as a factor in determining whether a person reasonably believed force was necessary to prevent injury or loss of life, with limited exceptions.

• Creates pretrial immunity hearings in both criminal and civil cases where defendants claiming self-defense can establish a prima facie case; prosecution must prove by clear and convincing evidence that force was not justified.

• Provides immunity from arrest, criminal charges, and civil liability for persons using reasonable force in accordance with self-defense statutes, and requires courts to award attorney's fees, court costs, and lost income compensation to prevailing defendants.

• Expands justification for defensive deadly force when a person reasonably believes another is committing or about to commit a "forcible felony" as defined in the bill.