Defending a Home, Workplace or Car
K.S.A. 21-5223 — force to stop an unlawful entry into a dwelling, a place of work or an occupied vehicle, with no duty to retreat
A person may use force to the extent they reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent or end another's unlawful entry into, or attack on, their dwelling, place of work or occupied vehicle.
Who handles this in Kansas: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Kansas directory.
Deadly force is justified to prevent or end that unlawful entry or attack only if the person reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another. Nothing requires the person to retreat.
Force that was justified brings immunity from criminal prosecution and civil action, and an arrest needs probable cause that it was not.
Sources for this section (2)
- K.S.A. 21-5223 — Defense of dwelling, place of work or occupied vehicle; no duty to retreat
- K.S.A. 21-5231 — Immunity from prosecution or liability; investigation
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Kansas attorney.