Legal Definitions - imminent danger

Definition: Imminent danger refers to an immediate and real threat to one's safety that justifies the use of force in self-defense. It can also refer to the danger resulting from an immediate threatened injury that is sufficient to cause a reasonable and prudent person to defend themselves.

Examples:

• If someone is pointing a gun at you and threatening to shoot, that is an example of imminent danger. In this situation, you would be justified in using force to defend yourself.
• If you are walking down a dark alley and someone starts following you, that could be considered imminent danger. If you feel threatened, you may need to take action to protect yourself.

These examples illustrate how imminent danger is a situation where there is an immediate and real threat to your safety. In both cases, a reasonable person would feel threatened and may need to use force to defend themselves.