Right of self-defense
| Criminal defenses |
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| Part of the common law series |
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| Other common law areas |
| Portals |
| Rights |
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| Theoretical distinctions |
| Human rights |
| Rights by beneficiary |
| Other groups of rights |
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The right of self-defense is the right for people as individuals to commit a crime, violent or non-violent, for the purpose of defending their own life (self-defense) and property, or to defend the lives of others, in certain circumstances. For example, while reckless driving is usually against the law, it can be justified if it was done to avoid a collision. The right, when it applies to the defense of another, is also called alter ego defense, defense of others, defense of a third person. Nations and states also have a right to self-defense in relation to their existence and independence.
In criminal law, if a defendant commits a crime because of a threat of deadly or grievous harm, or a reasonable perception of such harm, the defendant is said to have a "perfect self-defense" justification. If a defendant commits a crime because of such a perception, and the perception is not reasonable, the defendant may have "imperfect self-defense" as an excuse.