Everybody repeats “reasonable force” like it’s a clear rule. It isn’t. Bernie explains why that phrase is the legal battlefield where self-defense cases are won or destroyed. In this episode, he breaks down how prosecutors and jurors reconstruct a moment you lived in seconds, then judge it with slow, clinical hindsight. Jesse pushes with real scenarios—slaps, pushes, punches—and Bernie shows how quickly a “fair response” turns into an unlawful escalation if you introduce deadly force too soon. The real tension is this: the law doesn’t measure your fear, it measures your choices under pressure. Bernie also explains why “it felt necessary” is not the same as “it was legally justified,” and how small details—distance, movement, opportunity to disengage, prior conduct—can shift a case from justified to charged. If you want to understand the difference between surviving an encounter and surviving the courtroom, listen now and share this episode with someone who needs the truth before they learn it the hard way.