The Cost of Defending after a good shoot?

I know a fellow who used pepper spray to defend himself. This was near Buffalo, NY more than 5 years ago. He spent $10,000 defending himself from the resulting charges. That was for pepper spray, which is only one step up from command voice in the scale of force.

Realize that what will fly in rural west Texas may not fly in a major East Coast city.
 
I have an 'insurance policy' it's a pre-paid legal plan that costs me $25 a month. It covers me up to a certain amount of legal work, from a local lawyer, but I'd have to look it up to see what the limitations are. I am covered for anything other than drunk driving with this plan.

The joke is on anyone who tries to sue me, I don't own anything and I'm perpetually broke. It all belongs to the bank! :)

Also, getting a judgement against someone, and actually collecting are two different things. An instructor told me that if someone sues you and wins, they cannot touch your cars or home. I don't know though, we don't study too much civil law.
 
Those pre-paid legal plans are a scam, IMO. They have been procecuted in several states and canada. Anyone ever try to use services from one?
 
I've used mine once or twice for small things that require a lawyer, but never for actual legal defense.
Mine is through Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
They've been in business since 1972.
The representatives came to our police department and offered it to all officers, and a lot signed up. So, if they're scammers, they really pulled a good one! :)
 
Personally, I've always thought that any type of insurance to buffer you from claims against your person in the wake of a "defensive" shooting could be used by a prosecutor to taint the judge or jury's perception of you. Sort of a "he was expecting to shoot someone" rationale. :confused:
 
If I am about to be attacked and maybe killed by someone, the last thing that would be going through my mind is possible lawsuits against me if I killed my attacker.
 
these defense lawyers who demand 100k or 50K up front, they all drive 100K cars and wear 4K suits. you do not need this. this is showmanship and price gouging


a good lawyer does not have to cost a fortune. My lawyer told me that the guy he would use charges 250 an hour, and wins waaaaaay more than he ever loses. If it is an upfront and legit shoot, you will not lose.

as far as gee no one saw me, I will just walk away. NOPE not happening. too many chances of cameras. some kid in the woods NSA satellite taking pics who knows but i am going to stand my ground
 
dust_devil said:
If I am about to be attacked and maybe killed by someone, the last thing that would be going through my mind is possible lawsuits against me if I killed my attacker.
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That about covers it
 
"If I am about to be attacked and maybe killed by someone, the last thing that would be going through my mind is possible lawsuits against me if I killed my attacker."

Agreed, but you better be thinking about it sometime before you ever get to a shooting situation. After the shooting is no time to get an education that you need an attorney. I cannot begin to list the number of justified shootings I've handled and then later the shooter calls me all upset that they just found out they're being sued by the person/family they've shot. The first words out of their mouth is usually something like "How can they sue me? I was cleared?" Fact is, anyone can sue anyone, and when someone gets shot you better just plan that you'll be sued. And if you think you can rely on being cleared in a criminal investigation to save your bacon, and money, in a civil case then you are the one who really does need to talk to an attorney long before getting in a shooting situation. You'll need a good lesson in the law. The proof in a civil case is a whole lot less than criminal cases. In civil the person only has to convince 51% of the jury that something more likely than not occurred. And the admission of evidence and testimoney is a whole lot less restricted in a civil case.
So the time to be thinking about an attorney is not while you're in a shooting situation. The time to think about it is right now.
I've handled many many shootings in my LE career. I am constantly amazed at the reactions I'll hear from shooters. Can't believe how many times I've been asked if we are going to clean up the blood in the person's house, or replace the blood soaked carpert, or clean and paint the walls. People fail to realize that after a shooting and all the police and medics have gone, they're left with what they created.
 
You are walking home at night, a BG attacks you/threatens you with a deadly weapon, thus giving you the legal right to defend your self and shoot him. You shoot, he dies, no one else sees it. You could easily go home and leave the BG on the street, and no one would know besides you. Would this be a bad idea?
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That would be my instinct.....100 years ago, before all the CSI technology they've come up with. My Springfield came with a little envelope in the case with a spent shell casing in it. I may work for 'the man' but that don't mean I trust 'him' (big brother). I'm worried that that slug, matching the rifling in my guns barrel is in the FBI database somewhere. And even if it's a good shoot, they'd think you left the scene because you murdered the guy.
 
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