Editor's note: The following is presented for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as legal advice. For legal advice, consult your attorney.

As producer of Personal Defense TV, I'm fortunate to be involved in a lot of training in preparation for a personal defense encounter. Situational awareness, avoidance, threat levels, front sight, press--all are key elements in avoiding, deescalating or winning an attempted attack.

This past season, while training with Marty and Gila Hayes at Firearms Academy of Seattle, I was reminded that there's another very important component to successful personal defense, and that's being prepared for what happens to you legally after being involved in a personal defense shooting.

Do you have any idea what will happen once the police arrive after you've defended yourself?

I wouldn't go so far as to say I had an epiphany on the subject; after all, legally armed citizens should have some awareness that if they're involved in any kind of shooting there will be an investigation. But after speaking with Marty and Gila, the indicator light came on in my head warning me that I really had no clue as to how precarious the legal landscape can be after a personal defense shooting.

Marty and Gila recognized the importance of educating armed citizens to the legal aftermath and formed the Armed Citizens' Legal Defense Network. The Network consists of like-minded armed citizens across the nation with a goal to educate members about the legalities of using deadly force for personal defense and how to interact with the legal system after a shooting.

A significant benefit of the Network is an inner network of attorneys and legal experts with experience in defending personal defense cases. Members also have potential eligibility for financial assistance if facing unmeritorious prosecution after a personal defense incident.