Arizonans can now ‘stand ground’ during home intrusions

A measure signed into Arizona law in April shifts the burden of proof from the defendant to the prosecution in self‑defense cases involving the use of deadly force, said Scottsdale firearms training expert Doug Little.

Senate Bill 1145 replaced a 1997 law that required individuals who said they acted in self‑defense to prove their claim. That law, argued critics, put people claiming self‑defense at a disadvantage by making them prove they had justification for using deadly force.

“They changed the law back to the way it was and probably should be,” said Little.

The law includes a “stand your ground” clause that gives Arizonans authority to use deadly or physical force to protect themselves from intruders if they believe they’re “in imminent peril of death or serious injury.” There is now no duty to retreat first.