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Florida's stand your ground law, section 776.012 of the Florida Statutes, says a person defending against an imminent threat has no duty to retreat first.
The law has two parts.
Force that is not deadly: a person may use or threaten force, other than deadly force, when and to the extent the person reasonably believes it is necessary to defend himself or herself or another person against someone else's imminent use of unlawful force. The person does not have a duty to retreat before doing so.
Deadly force: a person may use or threaten deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another, or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony. The person does not have a duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground, as long as the person is not engaged in criminal activity and is in a place where he or she has a right to be.
Both parts depend on what the person reasonably believes and on the threat being imminent.
This is a summary of what the statute says, not legal advice. A Florida criminal defense attorney can explain how the law applies to a particular event.
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