TX Civil Liability

1 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:04,220 2 00:00:14,349 --> 00:00:18,250 Once you've used your firearm in self-defense, and navigated the criminal 3 00:00:18,250 --> 00:00:22,360 legal process, your journey might not be over. You can be sued civilly by the 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:27,950 bad guy you shot, or his surviving family. There's a statute in Texas that governs 5 00:00:27,950 --> 00:00:32,840 whether or not you'll be held liable for damages in such a suit. Texas Civil 6 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:37,940 Practice and Remedies Code Section 83.001 says that if you use force, or deadly 7 00:00:37,940 --> 00:00:42,480 force that's justified in self-defense, defense of others, or defensive property, you're 8 00:00:42,489 --> 00:00:48,60 immune from civil liability for personal injury or death that results. Note: This 9 00:00:48,70 --> 00:00:52,760 statute doesn't prevent you from being sued, having to answer the lawsuit, and 10 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:57,620 appear in court. It only prevents you from being held liable in money damages. 11 00:00:57,620 --> 00:00:59,230 So even if you were never charged with a crime, 12 00:00:59,230 --> 00:01:04,579 you had your case dismissed, or you were acquitted by a jury, you still have to 13 00:01:04,579 --> 00:01:07,240 answer that civil lawsuit and show the court that your use of deadly force was 14 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:13,759 legally justified. By the language of the Practice and Remedies Code this immunity 15 00:01:13,759 --> 00:01:18,530 from having to pay money damages is only good for personal injury and death. So 16 00:01:18,530 --> 00:01:21,100 even if you were justified in defending yourself, you can still be held liable 17 00:01:21,100 --> 00:01:25,479 for any property damage that your stray or over-penetrated bullet might 18 00:01:25,479 --> 00:01:28,810 have caused. 19 00:01:34,409 --> 00:01:36,469