Self-Defense
13 V.S.A. § 2305 — a killing in just and necessary defense of a life is guiltless
- A person who kills or wounds another in the just and necessary defense of their own life, or anyone else's, is guiltless.
- So is someone who reasonably believed they or another were in imminent peril and that deadly force was needed to repel someone attempting murder, sexual assault, burglary or robbery.
- The section does not limit the defenses the common law grants.
The section names when a killing or wounding is guiltless and leaves the rest of the law of self-defense to the courts. A particular situation is a question for a licensed Vermont attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- 13 V.S.A. § 2305 — Justifiable homicide
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Vermont attorney.