{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-503.050","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 503.050","heading":"Use of physical force in self -protection -- Admissibility of evidence of prior","body":"acts of domestic violence and abuse.\n(1) The use of physical force by a defendant upon another person is justifiable when the\ndefendant believes that such force is necessar y to protect himself against the use or\nimminent use of unlawful physical force by the other person.\n(2) The use of deadly physical force by a defendant upon another person is justifiable\nunder subsection (1) only when the defendant believes that such forc e is necessary\nto protect himself against death, serious physical injury, kidnapping, sexual\nintercourse compelled by force or threat, felony involving the use of force, or under\nthose circumstances permitted pursuant to KRS 503.055.\n(3) Any evidence presented by the defendant to establish the existence of a prior act or\nacts of domestic violence and abuse as defined in KRS 403.720 by the person\nagainst whom the defendant is charged with employing physical force shall be\nadmissible under this section.\n(4) A person does not have a duty to retreat prior to the use of deadly physical force.","path":["KRS Chapter 503"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=19669","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T21:00:00Z","sha256":"62e7506d4179386df30b69e05d0fd6349aa6e52027a7bd5e8c81591ee254ecd4","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-503.040","next":"us-ky/krs-503.055"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}