Legal implications of physically intervening with aggressive twin during meltdown with injuries.

Question

Is it legal for me to have physically intervened with my twin, who is showing aggression during a meltdown? My twin, who is 17 like me, was throwing rocks at the house because our mother took away the internet. When I tried to talk to him, he held rocks and warned me to back off before I tackled him to the ground. Both of us ended up with scrapes and bruises. Although there have been similar meltdowns before, no legal actions have been taken, but he did report me to our school, which hasn't acted so far. There is no ongoing support for his behavior issues. Can you provide legal guidance on this matter?

James L. Arrasmith · Answer

What you described falls into a gray area of self-defense and defense of property. Since your twin was throwing rocks at the house and holding rocks while warning you, you had a reasonable belief that harm to you or damage to property could occur. Physically intervening to stop that behavior, even if it resulted in scrapes and bruises, can be seen as a defensive action rather than an attack. 
 
Legally, the key factor is whether the force you used was proportional to the threat. Tackling someone to the ground when they were armed with rocks could be viewed as a reasonable way to prevent injury or property damage. Because both of you ended up with minor injuries and no one pressed charges, the situation may be treated as a family conflict rather than a criminal assault. 
 
The fact that your brother reported the incident to school but no action was taken suggests they also saw it as a personal dispute rather than a legal violation. Going forward, it may help to document these incidents and seek outside support, since repeated meltdowns could escalate further. As long as your actions are based on protecting yourself or others from immediate harm, the law generally recognizes your right to intervene.

Q: Legal implications of physically intervening with aggressive twin during meltdown with injuries.