Castle Doctrine Act of 2014

The Castle Doctrine Act of 2014 is a federal law of the Union of Everett, passed and signed into law on March 1st, 2014. The Castle Doctrine Act consists of federal legal protections to citizens and foreign nationals alike in regards to law enforcement activity, the rights of individuals during encounters with law enforcement and the specified powers that law enforcement officers have during encounters with individuals.

Many law enforcement and police unions found the language of the law very controversial and several police unions were vocal in being against some of the sections of the law. However, the Castle Doctrine Act of 2014 comes as the result of an increase of reported police brutality claims nationwide and as well in the neighboring United States.

Summary of the Castle Doctrine Act of 2014
CDA 2014 consists of several sections which outline in detail the powers of law enforcement officers when conducting stops, investigations, arrests, serving of warrants and use of emergency authority powers. Another section specifies the rights of individuals when encountering law enforcement officers who are stopped, under arrest, being questioned or subject to searches and or seizures. The controversial language of the bill is located in an area specifying the rights of individuals to protect themselves from law enforcement brutality or to defend themselves for illegal or corrupt actions of officers which includes excessive force, warrant-less searches and or seizures, violent or lethal force without just cause and a multitude of situations in which the law allows an individual to use force to protect against illegal police actions.