Does "Castle Doctrine" Apply to Hotel Rooms?

[9MMare]

In Washington it's justified in "resistance of an attempt to commit a felony", even to the point of if you reasonably believe the person intends to commit a felony.


Use of force
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.16.020
Reimbursement
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.16.110

Since the only limit is that this must occur in your presence, it doesn't matter if you're in your hotel room or your own home or on the street. Overall Washington has some of the "best" self defense laws I've seen. Now if we could just fix the state's issues with NFA items...

Yes, but we're still not protected from civil suits if found innocent by the state, the way that a few states are, are we?

 

[eye5600]

Where in a motel room are you going to retreat to?

 

[Werewolf]

While the exact rules vary by state, in general, you are justified in employing lethal force only when a reasonable and prudent person, in like circumstances and knowing what you know, would conclude that lethal force is necessary to prevent otherwise unavoidable, imminent death or grave bodily injury to an innocent.

And that variance can be significant.

In many states the very act of unlawfully entering a residence is assumed to be sufficient cause for the use of lethal force, OK, where I live being one. TX, Co being two others I am sure of. Lots of others I'd bet. In addition one is protected from civil suit being brought against you if your use of lethal force is found to be justified under the SDA and Stand Your ground laws in OK. Again - other states have adopted these laws.

You guys in CA need to stop projecting your state's laws on others. Some of us still live in free states.

 

[Frank Ettin]

...You guys in CA need to stop projecting your state's laws on others. Some of us still live in free states....

Don't be ridiculous. I was stating an analysis of pretty much general applicability. The OP was concerned with his frequent travel to other states (including California). So he either has to study the details of each state's laws or find an algorithm that will work in all the places he visits.

You guys in Texas need to stop projecting your state's laws on others.