Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

retreat rule. Criminal law

The doctrine holding that the victim of a murderous assault must choose a safe retreat instead of resorting to deadly force in self-defense, unless (1) the victim is at home or in his or her place of business (the so-called castle doctrine), or (2) the assailant is a person whom the victim is trying to arrest. 0 A minority of American jurisdictions have adopted this rule. Cf. NO-RETREAT RULE.