What are the laws on using karate in self defense?

[pineapple]

You will not be charged as someone that is armed but your knowledge of martial arts will most certainly used against you by the prosecuter on the grounds that you knowingly did more harm than necessary to your opponent.

[cathal]

That is assuming you actually do a lot of harm, I think.

[pineapple]

That is assuming you actually do a lot of harm

 

I stand corrected!

[MASIsshinryu]

The bottom line is, check your state statutes. They will define under what circumstance you may use force to defend yourself, to defend others and in most states when you are justified in use of deadly force. As previously mentioned, some jurisdictions require that you attempt to disengage, if reasonable; some do not. There is a wide range of variation from one location to another.

As with most legal matters, you might also want to contact an attorney, as these are often written in a not very user-friendly manner, and the actual findings of court rulings will also come into play.

This is a great topic for a dojo to touch on, in an informational presentation. It is not unheard of for a local prosecutor to attend a class, to outline what may or may not be considered reasonable.