Most people are familiar with the concept of Miranda rights. This is when a law enforcement officer informs someone of their constitutional rights regarding police questioning. This is a necessary step before any interrogation, per the Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona. However, there are some misconceptions about when exactly an officer is required to read Miranda rights and what a failure to do so could mean for your case.
What Are Miranda Rights?
To start, it’s helpful to know what Miranda rights are. These are the rights that you have due to the Constitution and they relate to protection against self-incrimination. Different departments may word these slightly differently, but the overall message will be the same.
- You have the right to remain silent.
- Anything you say (or do) can and will be held against you in a court of law.
- You have the right to an attorney during any questioning.
- If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may have one appointed to you if you wish.
When Are Miranda Rights Necessary?
An officer must inform you of your Miranda rights if both of the following are true:
- You are under arrest.
- You are being questioned.
Are You Under Arrest?
You are under arrest if you are not free to leave the situation.
However, traffic stops are not generally considered custodial in nature, i.e. they do not count as being under arrest. This means a law enforcement officer does not need to inform you of your Miranda rights before asking you questions during a traffic stop. If you answer these questions and give incriminating information, it can be used against you in court.
Are You Being Questioned?
Although most law enforcement officers will read your Miranda rights during the arrest, this is not technically required unless you are being questioned. For example, if you were brought into police custody without being read your rights and you confessed to a crime before the police started asking you questions, this could still be valid evidence in court.
What If Police Don’t Read Your Miranda Rights?
One common misconception is that if the police do not give you the required Miranda warning before interrogation, the whole case will be thrown out. In reality, criminal cases are rarely this straightforward. A failure to inform a suspect of Miranda rights would make any evidence obtained during that investigation inadmissible in court, but it does not invalidate the entire case. The exact impact will depend on the specific circumstances.
To understand this, consider an arrest for driving under the influence (DUI) as an example. The officer will likely collect a sample to test the suspect’s blood alcohol content (BAC) at the scene. Depending on the suspects’ cooperation, they may also conduct field sobriety tests. They will also ask various questions during the stop, which the suspect may or may not answer.
If they have probable cause after these steps, they will place the suspect under arrest. Imagine that at this point, the officer fails to read the suspect the Miranda rights and then interrogates them further.
No information obtained during this interrogation would be valid, but the BAC results, field sobriety test results, and answers from before the arrest could still be admissible. The exact outcome will depend on the arguments that the prosecution and defense make and the specific details of the case.
The Importance of Contacting an Attorney
Although the issue of Miranda rights seems simple at first, it can be complicated in practice. It’s important to speak with an attorney to understand how this could affect your case and what other factors may be relevant.
