If you’ve done any research on self defense, you’ve probably heard about something called Castle Doctrine. This begs the question – what is the Wisconsin Castle Doctrine? We cover this topic in-depth in our online Wisconsin CCW course, but here are the basics.
Tom Grieve, a criminal offense attorney and the guest of honor on the USCCA’s Ask an Attorney podcasts and videos, does a great job of explaining it on his website. It’s a concept that is important for everyone, not just concealed carriers, to understand.
First, a brief history. Prior to the 2011 Wisconsin Act 94, defenders had to prove that they had a reasonable fear that someone who is actively breaking into their home or who has already broken into their home intended to cause them great bodily harm or death. Defenders might also have had to prove that they could not retreat safely.