ARS 13-404: Justification: Self-Defense
The complete text of A.R.S. § 13-404 on justification: self-defense, and how this section is used in Arizona criminal cases. It defines terms and procedure rather than creating an offense.
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Full Text of A.R.S. § 13-404
A.R.S. § 13-404 is the Arizona statute on justification: self-defense. It sets out procedure and rules rather than defining an offense, so no offense class or sentence attaches to this section on its own.
A. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, a person is justified in threatening or using physical force against another when and to the extent a reasonable person would believe that physical force is immediately necessary to protect himself against the other’s use or attempted use of unlawful physical force.
B. The threat or use of physical force against another is not justified:
1. In response to verbal provocation alone; or
2. To resist an arrest that the person knows or should know is being made by a peace officer or by a person acting in a peace officer’s presence and at his direction, whether the arrest is lawful or unlawful, unless the physical force used by the peace officer exceeds that allowed by law; or
3. If the person provoked the other’s use or attempted use of unlawful physical force, unless:
(a) The person withdraws from the encounter or clearly communicates to the other his intent to do so reasonably believing he cannot safely withdraw from the encounter; and
(b) The other nevertheless continues or attempts to use unlawful physical force against the person.
Source: Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-404, Arizona Legislative Council revision of 09/19/25. Read the official text on azleg.gov. Statutes change; verify the current version before relying on it.
Related Guides From Our Team
Written by our defense team on how these cases run in Arizona courts.
- Was It Self-Defense? How to Prove It in Arizona (13-404)
- Use-of-Force Experts: How Is Self-Defense Proven? ARS 13-404
- Scottsdale Violent Crimes Lawyer | Assault to Homicide
How § 13-404 Affects an Arizona Case
§ 13-404 usually matters because of how it interacts with the charge someone is actually facing. We read it alongside the charging statute, because a definition or a procedural rule frequently decides what the State must prove, what a judge may impose, or what relief is available afterward.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is A.R.S. § 13-404?
A.R.S. § 13-404 is the Arizona statute on justification: self-defense. It sets out rules that apply across Arizona criminal cases rather than defining a single offense.
Where can I read the official text of § 13-404?
The Arizona Legislature publishes it at azleg.gov, in the revision dated 09/19/25. The complete text is reproduced on this page, and every Arizona criminal statute is searchable on our Arizona Criminal Code index.
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