So, can you go to jail for using martial arts? No, using martial arts won’t land you in jail. Whenever a person is threatened or attacked, martial arts are indeed a form of self-protection.
It is true that some techniques used in martial arts can result in a serious harm; this is usually not the case.
Self-defense is possible even in the toughest circumstances through martial arts. Numerous martial arts styles have been introduced; each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
For self-defense, some martial arts are more helpful than others. It’s crucial to pick a form of martial arts that suits your needs and personality.
Recently, in New Zealand, a self-proclaimed MMA expert hit an uninvolved onlooker, who prompted an Australian prosecutor to comment: “You have the right to safeguard yourself with the least possible amount of force.”
Deciding whether someone is innocent or guilty is perplexing because it is based on reading unclear and perplexing words and situations.
As a martial artist, the way people see you or your actions can work against you because you may have a challenging time convincing the jury or the judge that your conduct is reasonable.
Practicing martial arts outside a dojo or a fitness facility can have adverse effects, including legal and criminal liability.
The goal of martial arts in self-defense is to defend one’s self or others against a present danger of severe physical harm or death.
A martial artist must be completely aware of the repercussions of either purposeful or accidental misuse of their abilities. Misusing skills may lead to civil judgment, criminal prosecution, or both.
You must comprehend the distinctions in law between using a controlled, reasonable, and proportionate amount of force to fend off an assault and using an excessive or disproportionate amount of physical power to seriously hurt or permanently damage an attacker.
A person accused of using excessive or disproportionate force may be taken into custody and accused of a criminal assault.
Misdemeanor assault penalties include a probationary period, a fine of several hundred dollars, or one or more years in a jail.
Charges of felony can result in a forfeiture of many thousand dollars, lengthy detention in a state or federal jail, or life-time imprisonment in the event of death of a person.
In other words, you can only use as much force as required to keep yourself safe. If you use too much power, you could be charged with assault in a civil court.
Though in some instances, the threat is so genuine and imminent that it cannot be questioned, each case of self-defense is evaluated individually and objectively.
The immediate possibility of a severe damage is clear if, for example, a thief approaches you and tries to hurt you with a weapon, such as a knife with a six-inch blade.
In that case, if you neutralize that person to protect yourself, you won’t face criminal charges or a penalty.
