KRS 503.080: Protection of property.
Where this section sits in the code
- KRS Chapter 503
(1) The use of physical force by a defendant upon another person is justifiable when the
defendant believes that such force is immediately necessary to prevent:
(a) The commission of criminal trespass, robbery, burglary, or other felony
involving the use of force, or under those circumstances permitted pursuant to
KRS 503.055, in a dwelling, building or upon real property in his or her
possession or in the possession of another person for whose protection he or
she acts;
(b) Theft, criminal mischief, or any tre spassory taking of tangible, movable
property in his or her possession or in the possession of another person for
whose protection he or she acts; or
(c) The commission of unlawful camping in violation of KRS 511.110, when:
1. The offense is occurring on property owned or leased by the defendant;
2. The individual engaged in unlawful camping has been told to cease; and
3. The individual committing the offense has used force or threatened to
use force against the defendant.
(2) The use of deadly physical for ce by a defendant upon another person is justifiable
under subsection (1) of this section only when the defendant believes that the
person against whom such force is used is:
(a) Attempting to dispossess him or her of his or her dwelling otherwise than
under a claim of right to its possession; or
(b) Committing or attempting to commit a burglary, robbery, or other felony
involving the use of force, or under those circumstances perm itted pursuant to
KRS 503.055, of such dwelling; or
(c) Committing or attempting to commit arson of a dwelling or other building in
his or her possession.
(3) A person does not have a duty to retreat if the person is in a place where he or she
has a right to be.
Collected 2026-09-05T21:00:00Z. Source file · JSON