Tennessee Gun Laws & Firearms Safety Practice Exam

When is it legal to use deadly force in self-defense in Tennessee?

1. When there is an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury

2. To protect personal property

3. To prevent a theft

4. When you feel threatened but there is no actual danger

The correct answer is: When there is an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury

The use of deadly force in self-defense in Tennessee is legally justified when there is an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury. This principle is rooted in the understanding that individuals have the right to protect themselves from life-threatening situations. The law requires a perceived or actual threat that poses a significant risk to personal safety, meaning that the person's belief in the necessity of using deadly force must be both reasonable and based on the circumstances they face at that moment. In contrast, using deadly force to protect personal property or to prevent a theft does not meet the legal threshold; the law does not consider property to be worth a human life. Additionally, feeling threatened in the absence of an actual danger does not justify the use of deadly force, as legal self-defense requires a credible and immediate threat. Therefore, the only scenario under which deadly force is warranted, according to Tennessee law, is when there is a clear and present danger of severe harm or fatality.