Also known as: reasonably resist · reasonably resisted · reasonably resisting · reasonable force
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
The degree of physical force an actor is privileged to employ to defend against unprivileged harmful or offensive contact or to prevent intrusion on land or chattels, provided the force is neither intended nor likely to cause death or serious bodily harm.
Ryan Roberts stands in a hallway when an aggressor suddenly seizes his arm and pulls him toward a doorway. Ryan twists and delivers a single firm shove to the aggressor's chest, breaking the hold without causing injury. The shove qualifies as reasonable resistance because it directly counters the immediate threat of unwanted contact.
Rina Rahman walks along a sidewalk when a distracted pedestrian veers into her path and reaches out. She extends her forearm to deflect the contact and steps aside. The deflection counts as reasonable resistance because it stops the threatened harmful contact even though the pedestrian acted only negligently.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Ricardo Rojas finds a stranger climbing over his fence and entering the yard at night. Rojas places both hands on the intruder's shoulders and pushes him back across the fence line. The push satisfies the standard for reasonable resistance because it ends the unprivileged intrusion without risking serious harm.
Raymond Ramos faces a much smaller attacker who swings a fist at his face. Ramos uses an open-hand strike to the attacker's arm that stops the swing but causes no lasting injury. The strike meets the test for reasonable resistance because the force chosen accounts for the attacker's known physical condition.
Renata Russo stands still when an officer she knows is making an arrest reaches for her wrists. She offers no physical opposition and allows the handcuffs to be applied. The absence of movement constitutes reasonable resistance because modern rules prohibit active opposition to a known lawful arrest.
The actor may use only force that is neither intended nor likely to cause death or serious bodily harm, judged by the amount applied, the means used, and the circumstances including the assailant's known physical condition.
Yes. An actor may still employ reasonable force to defend against harmful or offensive contact that is threatened by negligent conduct, so long as the force itself meets the same limits.
Yes. An actor is privileged to use reasonable force, not intended or likely to cause death or serious bodily harm, to terminate another's unprivileged intrusion upon the actor's land.
…a customer who refused to leave the store after being told to do so; the defense was that the storekeeper was entitled to use reasonable force to eject an undesirable customer. The validity of such a defense was recognized, the court stating that “while the entry by one person on the premises of another may be lawful, by reason of…