T.P. v. State

In finding T.P., a juvenile, guilty of battery, the court rejected his self-defense claim based upon Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. See § 776.032, Fla. Stat. In its ruling, the court apparently determined that the statute only applied to justify the use of deadly force in the protection of one’s home or vehicle, neither of which was involved in this incident. The court erred in its construction of the statute and we reverse.

The alleged battery occurred while T.P. was riding a school bus. At the hearing on T.P.’s motion to dismiss based upon the Stand Your Ground law, a school bus driver…