1. What provisions, if any, in the U.S. Constitution or Bill of Rights could be used to support "Stand-Your-Ground" or "Castle Doctrine" laws?

2. What arguments do the proponents of "Stand-Your-Ground" or "Castle Doctrine" laws use to defend their position? What arguments do the opponents of these laws use to defend their position?

3. What is the difference between "Stand-Your-Ground" and "Castle Doctrine" laws? What are some reasons some states might have one type of law and not the other?

4. Explain how the media has played a role in the coverage of "Stand-Your-Ground" cases in the past few months?

Extension

A. Research the case Beard v. United States (1985). How did the Court rule? What legal precedents did this case set regarding "Stand-Your-Ground" or "Castle Doctrine" laws?

B. Read the ruling in the 2008 case of D.C. v. Heller. What evidence does the court offer for its conclusion that the Second Amendment was written to codify a pre-existing right to self-defense? How do the dissenting justices respond to that conclusion? Whose arguments were more persuasive?