Federal Enforcement of Self Defense Act

The Federal Enforcement of Self Defense Act of 2006, called FESDA, is a federal law passed by the Union of Everett into federal law regarding the rights of self defense, defense of property and defense of others. The law enhances current state laws regarding the carrying of weapons, state or federal licensing and permit of weapons carry, the right of a person to defend him or herself and his or her personal property and laws regarding the intervention in immediate and direct life threatening danger of others from harm. The law established new legal definitions of self defense, lethal force, necessary force, danger avoidance or deterrent and castle doctrine.

Federal Enforcement of Self Defense Act (Full Text)

 * I. Definitions
 * A. Self Defense
 * 1. Self defense is defined as any act made by a victim of a violent attack to protect, defend, thwart, shield or avoid such attack in the attempt to prevent bodily harm or death.
 * B. Bodily Harm
 * 1. Bodily harm is defined as any act against another person unlawfully which causes injury and or trauma to the body. Bodily harm includes stabbing wounds, slashes, facial trauma, broken bones, loss of teeth, bruising, loss of blood, cuts, abrasions, gun shot wounds, fractures, head traumas, unconsciousness, choking, asphixiation, dislocations, tearing, ripping, loss or ripping of hair.
 * C. Death
 * 1. Lethal harm is defined as any act against another person unlawfully which causes fatal injury leading to death of victim.
 * 2. Lethal harm includes the potential during a rape incident in which the victim is exposed to biological hazards including HIV/AIDS infection.
 * D. Lethal Force
 * 1. Lethal force is defined as an act by a victim of an unlawful attack, in an act of self defense, that results in the fatal injury and death of the initial attacker. Lethal force may be legal in certain circumstances.
 * E. Necessary Force
 * 1. Necessary force is defined as any act by a victim of unlawful attack, in an act of self defense, that is legally applied to successfully defend oneself or others from harm or death.
 * F. Excessive Force
 * 1. Excessive force is defined as any act by a victim of an unlawful attack, in an act of self defense, that is illegally applied excessively to successfully defend oneself or others from harm.
 * G. Legal Self Defense Tool
 * 1. A legal self defense tool is defined as any weapon, concealed or carried openly, used to defend oneself from harm or death. This law hereby legalizes under federal law, the right of the citizen to be armed with any of the following self defense tools:
 * a. Mace/Pepper Spray
 * 1a. All strengths of defensive sprays are legal.
 * 1b. Defensive sprays may not be carried in size volume of more than 4 ounces per spray canister.
 * b. Taser or equivalent stun gun
 * c. Extendable baton
 * 1a. All ASP style batons no more than 21 inches in length when extended.
 * 1b. Solid full length, non-retracting batons are not legal.
 * d. Licensed & permitted concealed carry (CCW) firearm
 * 1a. A pistol of .45 caliber or less of semi automatic nature or revolving system with magazine capacity of no more than 17 rounds of ammunition per magazine with a maximum of one extra magazine legally allowed carried on the licensed and permitted person unless armed subject is a law enforcement officer or military personnel.
 * 1b. A maximum of two concealed licensed and permitted pistols may be carried on one's person.
 * 1c. A law enforcement or military officer or personnel may be armed with any firearm, carried concealed or openly with any amount of ammunition and extra magazines or supply.
 * e. Handcuffs
 * 1a. It shall be legal for a civilian to possess handcuffs on their person if registered as a security officer, security guard, peace officer, private investigator or auxillary officer to be used to restrain and detain a felony suspect.
 * 1b. It shall be legal for a civilian to possess handcuffs within their home or business to detain or restrain a felony suspect and not be required to be a registered or licensed officer.
 * f. Knives
 * 1a. Knives and stabbing tools may be carried legally by any citizen with a blade of no more than 4 inches in length from the base of the blade. A citizen may be armed with any amount of such knives.
 * 1b. Switchbades, gravity knives, butterfly knives and retractable knives are legal to possess in a blade length of no longer than 4 inches from the base of the blade.
 * 1c. Hunting knives and knives or stabbing weapons of longer than 4 inches in length from the base of the blade are legally to be carried in camping, hunting, hiking and fishing situations.
 * 1d. Utility tools such as Swiss army knives or other multi-tools may be legally carried.
 * g. Defensive Animal
 * 1a. A defensive animal may consist of a trained guard dog, seeing eye dog or other canine.
 * 2a. A defensive animal shall not be held accountable or responsible for injury or death of another in the case of defending its owner from unlawful attack by said person.
 * 2b. A defensive animal shall not be held accountable or responsible for injury or death of another in the case of unlawful invasion or entry into one's home, business or vehicle.
 * H. Unlawful Attack
 * 1. Unlawful attack is defined as a physical force against another, unprovoked and unwarranted and without legal justification, such as in cases of self defense.
 * II. Civilian Self Defense
 * A. Physical Assault
 * 1. A citizen has the legal right to defend oneself from unarmed physical attack with equal force or by use of a legal self defense weapon.
 * B. Sexual Assault/Rape
 * 1. Any victim of a sexual assault or rape shall have legal right to defend oneself by all means necessary to fend off attack including Lethal Force.
 * C. Potentially Lethal/Fatal Assaults
 * 1. In the event a threat to personal safety or the safety of others is potentially fatal or lethal, the right of Lethal Force shall be legal. In cases of armed unlawful attack, Lethal Force shall be legal.
 * D. Defense From Kidnapping
 * 1. In cases of kidnapping, hostage taking or ransom, the right of self defense and defense of others in the form of Lethal Force is legal.
 * E. Defense of Children
 * 1. Any person shall have legal authority to defend and protect any minor from unlawful attack or harm with necessary force against offending suspects who are also minors. Excessive Force shall be legal in cases of unlawful harm against minors. Parents or legal guardians shall have the right to Lethal Force to protect minors for harm.
 * F. Defense of Property From Burglary
 * 1. A homeowner, business owner or owner of a vehicle shall have the right of Lethal Force to defend one's property from unlawful invasion, robbery or burglary.
 * G. Arson
 * 1. A citizen shall have the right of Lethal Force to defend property from Arson.
 * H. Terrorism
 * 1. Any and all citizens shall have legal right, authority and duty to self defense and defense of others or public or private property from acts of terrorism with any force necessary including Excessive Force and Lethal Force to prevent or stop an ongoing or planned terrorist attack or plot.
 * III. Castle Doctrine
 * A. Castle Doctrine is defined as the legal and sole right to the defense of both self and others and property from harm while inside legally owned property including home, business or vehicle.
 * 1. At no point shall a homeowner, business owner or vehicle owner be held liable for acts of self defense including Lethal Force or Excessive Force while inside their home, business or vehicle.
 * 2. At no point shall a citizen be required to attempt to flee from unlawful intrusion or invasion of their home, business or vehicle.
 * 3. A citizen shall have the legal right to use Lethal Force while inside their home, business or vehicle to defend themselves, others and their personal property.
 * 4. A citizen shall have the legal right to possess self defense tools or other forms of weapons in the home or business or inside secured compartments of their vehicle, in accordance with weapons possession laws and federal regulations on firearms.
 * a. A citizen does not require special permit to possess a firearm located in the trunk of a vehicle or aboard a sea vessel.
 * b. A licensed and certified airline pilot with a federal concealed carry permit (CCW) may legally possess a firearm aboard an aircraft.
 * 5. No citizen shall be held liable for any injury, harm or death resulted from the unlawful trespass or intrusion into one's home, vehicle or business.
 * IV. Law Enforcement Self Defense
 * A. A law enforcement officer shall have the right to use his or her firearm in Lethal Force to defend against an armed suspect who is armed with a firearm.
 * B. A law enforcement officer shall have the right to use his or her firearm in Lethal Force against any armed attack against said officer.
 * C. A law enforcement officer shall have the right to use a non-lethal weapon at any time against any uncooperative suspect.
 * D. A law enforcement officer shall never disarm him or herself in accordance with hostage or ransom demands.
 * E. Law enforcement officer shall be defined as any licensed, permitted or registered police officer, peace officer, security officer, security guard, private investigator or auxillary officer.
 * V. Military Self Defense
 * A. Military personnel shall have the right to use his or her firearm in Lethal Force against any armed suspect.
 * B. Military personnel shall have the right to use any non-lethal weapon against any uncooperative suspect.
 * C. Military personnel shall never disarm him or herself in accordance with hostage, ransom or terrorist demands.
 * D. Military personnel shall have the right to use Lethal Force against any form of attack.