Legal sign wordage

[Rick]

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[Ken]

All joking aside, and although I get a chuckle from many of them, I would strongly advise AGAINST posting any of the more "assertive" or "humorous" signs that have been posted here, including so-called "castle law" warnings.

A simple "No Trespassing" sign conveys the message well enough. Any sign which contains or implies a threat may very well sway a jury AGAINST a defendant if the verdict is otherwise a "close call."

If enough jurors feel that a defendant was just itching for the opportunity to kill someone - even a trespasser - the jury may not be convinced that the trespasser actually posed a threat or that the defendant in fact felt threatened. Advertising your predisposition to pull the trigger is not the smartest thing to do.

Castle Laws provide a valid defense at time of trial. They do not necessarily mean that there will not be a trial. Think about it.

[crashdive123]

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[Justin Case]

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[Wise Old Owl]

My favorite:

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[Batch]

Florida has a very good stand your ground law.

The Florida law is a self-defense, self-protection law. It has four key components:

* It establishes that law-abiding residents and visitors may legally presume the threat of bodily harm or death from anyone who breaks into a residence or occupied vehicle and may use defensive force, including deadly force, against the intruder.

* In any other place where a person “has a right to be,” that person has “no duty to retreat” if attacked and may “meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.”

* In either case, a person using any force permitted by the law is immune from criminal prosecution or civil action and cannot be arrested unless a law enforcement agency determines there is probable cause that the force used was unlawful.

* If a civil action is brought and the court finds the defendant to be immune based on the parameters of the law, the defendant will be awarded all costs of defense.

However, there is a reason that your not going to find any competent self-defense instructor that advocates firing a warning shot. The discharge of a firearm in such a situation usually constitutes "use of deadly force".

So, if you feel like your life was in imminent danger, why did you shoot into the air?

If you truly feel that you or someone you care about is going to die if you don't use deadly force now. Why the hell would you fire into the air rather than shooting the bad guy to the ground?

In Florida a warning shot is the use of deadly force and if it is determined that you were not authorized to use deadly force then you will be subject to our most stupid minimum mandatory laws. See ya in 20 years!!!

http://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc...g-self-defense

Also, by introducing lethal force, you escalate the whole event from what ever it was to a deadly force event. In almost all cases it is best to keep things from going there. Because as good as you are, they only have to be lucky.

If you live anywhere near other people discharging a firearm in the air put innocent people in danger.

Just something to think about. Gun play should always be deadly serious business.

[rebel]

There is some good advise in this post.

My plan is to have some "no trespassing" signs available for placement if the need arises.

[pocomoonskyeyes]

If you do fire a "warning shot" shoot the ground. For 2 reasons -
1) A bullet fired in the air could possibly strike an innocent.
2) you can always say that you were "so scared, I accidentally discharged my firearm."

[LowKey]

I have No Trespassing signs up now. That way when the boys from down the street fall out of the tree they like to climb in my side woods, it keeps the homeowner's insurance from going up. (Yes they are old enough to read.)

[Wise Old Owl]

If you do fire a "warning shot" shoot the ground. For 2 reasons -
1) A bullet fired in the air could possibly strike an innocent.
2) you can always say that you were "so scared, I accidentally discharged my firearm."

interesting thought.

[crashdive123]

Nope - I don't believe in warning shots.

[canid]

you can always say that you were "so scared, I accidentally discharged my firearm."

or open yourself up to a further charge of reckless discharge. for example, if i remember it correctly, it is generally unlawful in my state to discharge a firearm within 100 feet of any highway [defined as the paved surface of any public road], an inhabited building or livestock.