Your Rights and Responsibilities with Police
- 9 28, 2017
- |Business
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It's a good idea to trust that police want what's best in most situations, but it's wise to be familiar with your rights. Police have a great deal of power - to take away our choices and, in some instances, even our lives. If you are being questioned in a criminal defense case or investigated for drunken driving, make sure you are protected by working closely with an attorney.
Identification? Not Necessarily
Many individuals are not aware that they don't have to answer all an officer's questions, even if they were driving. Even if you must show identification, you may not have to say more about anything like where you've been or whether you drink, in the case of a drunken driving stop. Federal law covers all citizens and gives assurances that let you remain quiet or give only partial information. You have a right not to testify or speak against yourself, and you can almost always just leave if you aren't being detained or arrested.
Even though it's important to have a thorough education about your rights, you should get a lawyer who knows all the implications of the law if you want to protect yourself in the best way. Knowing all thelegal requirements and being aware of the various situations in which they apply should be left up to good laywers. Furthermore, laws regularly get changed during lawmaker meetings, and courts of law are constantly deciding new cases that shape the law further.
There are Times to Talk
While there are times to stay mute in the face of legal action, remember the truth that most cops only want to help and would rather not take you out. Refusing to talk could cause problems and make your community less safe. This is another instance when you should hire the best criminal defense attorney, such as lawyer lake geneva wi is wise. Your legal criminal defense counsel can tell you when you should volunteer information and when staying quiet is a better idea.
Cops Can't Always Do Searches Legally
You don't have to give permission to search through your home or automobile. Probable cause, defined in an elementary way, is a reasonable belief that a crime has been committed. It's less simple in practice, though. It's probably smart to always refuse searches verbally and then get out of the way.