Idaho Law: Use of Lethal Force

Firearms and The Law - Idaho Legal Lecture
Firearms and The Law - Idaho Legal Lecture

The use of deadly force doctrine varies between the states where some are very clear on when it can be used while others a very vague.

The use of deadly force in Idaho is at the core of understanding your right to carry a concealed carry firearm. There are many considerations to understanding the concept of the law and how it affects your decision to use deadly force during a violent encounter.

The use of deadly force doctrine varies between the states where some are very clear on when it can be used while others a very vague.


A Firearm is Always the “Tool of Last Resort”


Essential Takeaways on the Idaho Use of Deadly Force

  • Whenever the use of deadly force is used, your conduct will be judged in hindsight and will be weighed against the hypothetical concept of “The Reasonable Prudent Person“.
  • The question rests on the concept of what a reasonable person would have done under the same circumstances.
  • The standard is understood as if the person reasonably believed this his or her life or the life of another person was at serious risk of imminent death, serious bodily harm, or in some states, great bodily harm.

What Does Imminent Mean?

“Near at hand, mediate rather the immediate; closerather than touching; impending; on the point of happening, threatening; menacing; perilous.”

Black’s Law Dictionary, 5th Ed.

“Likely to occur at any momment; impeding: War is imminent…, near, at hand. Imminent, Impending, Threatening apply to that which menaces or portends misfortune or disaster. Imminent is applied usually to danger or evil that hangs, as it were, over one’s head, ready to fall at any momment.”

Random House Dictionary, the Unabridged Edition, 1979

“Emergency” means an exigent circumstances in which a vulnerable adult’s life and safety is placed in imminent danger. Imminent danger is when death or severe bodily injury could reasonably be expected to occur without intervention.”

Adult Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Act, ID. Stat. § 53, (39-5302 & rev. 1982)

As you can see, most of the definitions are clear and have several common denominators that tie them together. Your threat is finding that one juror believes you acted in a reasonable and prudent manner.

Disclaimer: Level 1 Firearms Training LLC teaches concealed carry concepts in many states across the nation. This article is a compilation of many legal lectures attended along with their core takeaways. This is not to be considered legal advice. To ascertain a legal definition of the Idaho Use of Deadly force law, consult with a licensed Idaho attorney.

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