if I lived in chens country and I had the same neighbor Id invite him over for dinner and then blast him with the 4.10

For Casey and other Texas residents:

REP. CHUCK HOPSON APPLAUDS GOVERNOR FOR SIGNING 'CASTLE DOCTRINE' BILL
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, March 27, 2007

~ Rep. Hopson Glad To See Governor Follow Legislatures Lead ~AUSTIN — Representative Chuck Hopson was glad to see that Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill into law Tuesday that gives Texans a stronger legal right to defend themselves using deadly force in their homes, cars and workplaces.

With the support of Representative Hopson, Senate Bill 378 or the 'Castle Doctrine', passed in both chambers of the legislature overwhelmingly earlier this month. The bill states that a person has no duty to retreat from an intruder before using deadly force.

"The right to defend yourself and your family from harm should be clearly defined and the law should be easy to interpret," Hopson said. "This is the first bill Governor Perry has signed this session and it is a good one to start with."

The bill is being referred to as the "castle doctrine," drawing from the idea that a man's home is his castle and that he should have the right to defend it. A building or vehicle must be occupied at the time for the deadly force provision to apply, and the person using force cannot provoke the attacker or be involved in criminal activity at the time.

The new law will also provide civil immunity for a person who lawfully uses deadly force in any of the circumstances spelled out in the bill. Police and prosecutors can still press charges if they feel deadly force was illegally used, legislative sponsors said.

Please contact our offices at 1-866-233-5100 or 512-463-0592 should you have any questions or concerns regarding issues or a particular piece of legislation.
Contact: Daniel Mahoney
Phone: 866-233-5100

source:http://www.house.state.tx.us/news/release.php?id=2017

We also have "Castle Doctrine" laws in South Carolina, but there is a caveat (as always) that you might want to take note of. If you are defending yourself in your home, you are still liable if your shots are errant and do some kind of harm offsite.

If you shoot at an intruder... miss, and hit the old lady waiting on the bus down the street... you're liable. Any reasonable person would realize this, and be prudent in how they optioned to use deadly force.

What "anti-gun" people never understand is that most people who use and deal with guns every day are much more reasonable than their imaginations of the "O.K. Corral" syndrome. Just because people have a right to do something doesn't mean they'll make it an everyday occurrance. I have the right to burn down my house, but it isn't a very prudent thing to do, and I might be liable for setting my neighbors houses on fire... so it's a "last option". Most gun laws are the same way. The Castle Doctrine only makes it reasonable to use force when necessary without having to have a mental gymnastic session with yourself before defending your home and family.

Also, remember that many of the famous shootouts, such as the OK Corral incident, became famous merely because of their rarity. The Wild West was only wild outside of the towns and cities.

It's good for the residents of Texas that their legislature is providing them some legal and civil protection. No doubt in response to the legal profession preying on the innocent homeowner, along with the overzealous prosecutors. I'd like to know what some of the "circumstances spelled out in the bill" are. I would be very surprised to find out that one could shoot for mere entry onto the premesis. The legal advisor in my tactical handgun class summed it by saying that you should "shoot when you must, not when you can". He also said, "if the other guy dies, there will only be ONE liar on the witness stand. Remember being cleared to use deadly force isn't the same as a license to kill. You must cease fire when the bad guy ceases whatever action that cause you to shoot. I.E. he see's your weapon and attempts to flee or surrender.
K-

In answer to my own question;
The Texas legislation specifies precise criteria for justifying deadly force:
[W]hen and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:(A) to protect the actor against the other’s use or attempted use of unlawful deadly force; or(B) to prevent the other’s imminent commission of aggravated kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated robbery.8
Furthermore, such force is justified only if the aggressor :

(1) unlawfully entered, or was attempting to enter unlawfully, the actor ’s habitation, vehicle, or place of business or employment;

(2) unlawfully removed, or was attempting to remove unlawfully, the actor from the actor’s habitation, vehicle, or place of business or employment of the actor; or

(3) was committing or attempting to commit an offense described [above].9
It doesnt look like a "shoot 1st and sort it out later" law to me. It does appear to have nixed the "duty to retreat" mindset that the lawyers had introduced. Which by the way is actual law in many places.
Chen, I'd be willing to bet that you're mistaken about MS trespass laws. You may betting your liberty on something that you've heard from many people for a long time, but just isn't true.
K-

There is a law still in the books in texas that you can kill a man IF "he needed killin" (it is actually spelled "killin")
I LOVE it.
J

Ground fighter. I wouldnt bet my liberty on it until Ive read the statue. And then I'd want to review what the stated "needs' are. K-

The safest and smartest thing anyone could do to answer any questions on self defense and the permissible levels is to contact your local Commonwealth or District Attorney's office and request the information pertaining not only to your states laws but also to you city/town's laws and that of local surrounding City/towns.. This will go a long way to covering your butt when you really need it covered after the fight in the street/home is over and the fight for your life in the court begins.