In Georgia, self-defense means you’re legally allowed to use force—even deadly force—if you reasonably believe it’s necessary to protect yourself (or someone else) from imminent harm. That harm could be things like being assaulted, threatened with a weapon, or facing a serious threat to your life or safety.

When can you use force?

Georgia law says you can use force if you’re protecting yourself or someone else, you believe it’s immediately necessary to prevent harm and/or you’re not the aggressor (more on that in a second).

This covers both non-deadly and deadly force. But deadly force is only okay if you’re trying to stop death/serious injury or a forcible felony (like armed robbery, kidnapping, or rape).

Stand Your Ground in Georgia

Georgia has what’s called a Stand Your Ground law. This means you don’t have to retreat before using force—even deadly force. In other words, if you’re somewhere you legally have a right to be (like your home, car, or even a public place), you can stand your ground and defend yourself.

Limits & Exceptions

Self-defense isn’t a free pass to use force whenever you want. It doesn’t apply if you were the one who started the fight (the aggressor), you used force during the commission of a crime or you provoked someone into attacking you and then used that as an excuse to fight back. Basically, you can’t pick a fight and then claim self-defense when things escalate.

What if you’re charged anyway?

Even if you believe you acted in self-defense, you might still get arrested or charged—especially if there’s confusion about who started it, or if witnesses give conflicting stories. But in Georgia, you can raise self-defense as a legal defense, and if the court agrees, you won’t be convicted. Give our office a call today and speak with an experienced attorney at (404)581-0999.