In the
criminal law, the
duty to retreat is a specific component which sometimes appears in the defense of
self-defense, and which must be addressed if the
defendant is to prove that his or her conduct was
justified. In those
jurisdictions where the requirement exists, the
burden of proof is on the defense to show that the defendant was acting reasonably. Elements of acting reasonably include that the defendant had first avoided conflict and, secondly, had taken reasonable steps to retreat and so demonstrated an intention not to fight before eventually
using force.