{"data":{"id":"us-pa/18-pa.c.s.-309","jurisdiction":"us-pa","citation":"18 Pa.C.S. § 309","heading":"Duress.","body":"(a) General rule.--It is a defense that the actor engaged in the conduct charged to constitute an offense because he was coerced to do so by the use of, or a threat to use, unlawful force against his person or the person of another, which a person of reasonable firmness in his situation would have been unable to resist.\n(b) Exception.--The defense provided by subsection (a) of this section is unavailable if the actor recklessly placed himself in a situation in which it was probable that he would be subjected to duress. The defense is also unavailable if he was negligent in placing himself in such a situation, whenever negligence suffices to establish culpability for the offense charged.","path":["Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES","PART I PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS","CHAPTER 3 CULPABILITY"],"source_url":"https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM\u0026ttl=18\u0026div=0\u0026chpt=3\u0026sctn=9\u0026subsctn=0","current_through":"2026-08-31 (Statute Update stamp, 18 Pa.C.S.)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-02T16:31:28Z","sha256":"6df2211a66bb3c2d0dc4f09a4ec7f7d47770b346f856157f224256b0e5ea0f0a","source_id":"us-pa","stale":false,"prev":"us-pa/18-pa.c.s.-308","next":"us-pa/18-pa.c.s.-310"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}