reasonable force

reasonable force
reasonable force see force 3

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. . 1996.

reasonable force
The amount of force necessary to protect oneself or one's property. Reasonable force is a term associated with defending one's person or property from a violent attack, theft, or other type of unlawful aggression. It may be used as a defense in a criminal trial or to defend oneself in a suit alleging tortious conduct. If one uses excessive force, or more than the force necessary for such protection, he or she may be considered to have forfeited the right to defense. Reasonable force is also known as legal force.

Dictionary from West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005.


reasonable force
The amount of force necessary to protect oneself or one's property. Reasonable force is a term associated with defending one's person or property from a violent attack, theft, or other type of unlawful aggression. It may be used as a defense in a criminal trial or to defend oneself in a suit alleging tortious conduct. If one uses excessive force, or more than the force necessary for such protection, he or she may be considered to have forfeited the right to defense. Reasonable force is also known as legal force.

Short Dictionary of (mostly American) Legal Terms and Abbreviations.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • reasonable force — reasonable amount of force for dealing with a given issue …   English contemporary dictionary

  • force — 1 n 1: a cause of motion, activity, or change intervening force: a force that acts after another s negligent act or omission has occurred and that causes injury to another: intervening cause at cause irresistible force: an unforeseeable event esp …   Law dictionary

  • reasonable — Fair, proper, just, moderate, suitable under the circumstances. Fit and appropriate to the end in view. Having the faculty of reason; rational; governed by reason; under the influence of reason; agreeable to reason. Thinking, speaking, or acting… …   Black's law dictionary

  • force — Power, violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing. Landry v. Daley, D.C.I11., 280 F.Supp. 938, 954. Power dynamically considered, that is, in motion or in action; constraining power, compulsion; strength… …   Black's law dictionary

  • force — Power, violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing. Landry v. Daley, D.C.I11., 280 F.Supp. 938, 954. Power dynamically considered, that is, in motion or in action; constraining power, compulsion; strength… …   Black's law dictionary

  • force — 1 noun 1 MILITARY a) (C) a group of people who have been trained to fight in a war: forces loyal to President Aquino | a highly efficient fighting force b) the forces the army, navy, and air force: Both her sons are in the forces. c) (U) military …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • Force majeure — (French for superior force ) is a common clause in contracts which essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as war, strike, riot, crime, act of …   Wikipedia

  • reasonable — rea·son·able adj 1 a: being in accordance with reason, fairness, duty, or prudence b: of an appropriate degree or kind c: supported or justified by fact or circumstance a reasonable belief that force was necessary for self defense d …   Law dictionary

  • Reasonable suspicion — is a legal standard in United States law that a person has been, is, or is about to be engaged in criminal activity based on specific and articulable facts and inferences. It is the basis for an investigatory or Terry stop by the police and… …   Wikipedia

  • reasonable — adj. VERBS ▪ appear, be, look, seem, sound ▪ consider sth, judge sth, regard sth as, think sth …   Collocations dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”