Kamicosmos
Member
I think Pax nailed it.
I just took the MO CCW qualification. Supposedly we have the toughest CCW requirements. We have to actually go over the law, and shoot a qualifing test. Some states you just pay a fee and strap on the roscoe. After taking my course, I actually believe that anyone CCWing should have to at least sit down with an approved person and go over their state and local laws. My instructor was a cop, so I got both the legal aspect, and the 'what will happen when The Cops show up' side of it.
In MO at least, we have an 'obligation to retreat'. (Except in our homes. And even that has a loophole) We also have the 'Reasonable Man' Argument that has been described here. We also went over what happens in basically your situation. What if a verbal argument escalates to physical. As a CCW, you have an obligation to 'Stop the Fight'. Yell loud and clear "WHOA. I'm done. I'm not fighting you.' If the person persists, well then you have to retreat. If it persists, well, that's why there's court. Depending on what goes down, and who says what, you may or may not be criminially responsible. Will you be responsible in the civil suit? Most assuredly.
Now, all this is in MO. Texas as we all know is different. California I'd imagine is also different. There are what, 46 states with some form of CCW now? That means there are 46 different set of laws out there.
My advice is to get a copy of your state law, and learn it. Carry a copy in your car as well, cause the cops may or may not know it that well. (Not cop bashing, they have to keep a heck of a lot of law stuff in their heads.) If you are fuzzy about any of the law....seek out a lawyer or a cop to help you with it.
I just took the MO CCW qualification. Supposedly we have the toughest CCW requirements. We have to actually go over the law, and shoot a qualifing test. Some states you just pay a fee and strap on the roscoe. After taking my course, I actually believe that anyone CCWing should have to at least sit down with an approved person and go over their state and local laws. My instructor was a cop, so I got both the legal aspect, and the 'what will happen when The Cops show up' side of it.
In MO at least, we have an 'obligation to retreat'. (Except in our homes. And even that has a loophole) We also have the 'Reasonable Man' Argument that has been described here. We also went over what happens in basically your situation. What if a verbal argument escalates to physical. As a CCW, you have an obligation to 'Stop the Fight'. Yell loud and clear "WHOA. I'm done. I'm not fighting you.' If the person persists, well then you have to retreat. If it persists, well, that's why there's court. Depending on what goes down, and who says what, you may or may not be criminially responsible. Will you be responsible in the civil suit? Most assuredly.
Now, all this is in MO. Texas as we all know is different. California I'd imagine is also different. There are what, 46 states with some form of CCW now? That means there are 46 different set of laws out there.
My advice is to get a copy of your state law, and learn it. Carry a copy in your car as well, cause the cops may or may not know it that well. (Not cop bashing, they have to keep a heck of a lot of law stuff in their heads.) If you are fuzzy about any of the law....seek out a lawyer or a cop to help you with it.