Self-Defense Laws in Texas

Stand your ground. A person who has a right to be present at the location where force is used, who has not provoked the person against whom force is used, and who is not engaged in criminal activity at the time force is used "is not required to retreat before using force," and the same applies before using deadly force. In determining whether the actor reasonably believed force or deadly force was immediately necessary, a finder of fact "may not consider whether the actor failed to retreat." Deadly force is justified when the actor reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to protect against the other's use or attempted use of unlawful deadly force, or to prevent the other's imminent commission of aggravated kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated robbery.

The actor's belief that force (or deadly force) was immediately necessary is presumed to be reasonable if the actor knew or had reason to believe that the person against whom force was used unlawfully and with force entered, or was attempting to enter, the actor's occupied habitation, vehicle, or place of business or employment; unlawfully and with force removed, or was attempting to remove, the actor from it; or was committing or attempting to commit aggravated kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated robbery. The presumption also requires that the actor did not provoke the person and was not otherwise engaged in criminal activity, other than a Class C misdemeanor that is a violation of a law or ordinance regulating traffic. Civil immunity: a defendant who uses force or deadly force that is justified under Chapter 9 of the Penal Code is immune from civil liability for personal injury or death that results from the defendant's use of force or deadly force.