Does California enforce the duty to retreat?

Yes, with some modifications. California recognizes a qualified duty to retreat for self-defense claims. According to this rule, individuals involved in confrontations and using self-defense as justification must attempt to remove themselves from the situation when it's reasonably safe to do so. However, unlike the traditional duty to retreat, they have no obligation to retreat from places they have a legal right to be, such as their home or workplace. If an individual fails to make reasonable efforts to disengage in these circumstances, their self-defense claim might not hold up in court.