The Constitution gives people in this country specific rights. The Fifth Amendment specifically covers protections provided that can prevent a person from incriminating themselves in a criminal matter. You may be familiar with these rights thanks to law enforcement shows and movies.
When you’re being detained or arrested, you should be read your rights. These begin with the officer telling you that you have the right to remain silent. What you may not know is that you have to specifically invoke those rights.
How do you invoke your Miranda rights?
You have to state that you want to invoke your Miranda rights. You can’t just sit there and be quiet. Once you say that you want to remain silent, the officers have to stop questioning you. This includes the officers that are there now, as well as all others. They can’t just switch officers and continue questioning you.
Along with your right to remain silent, you have the right to consult with an attorney. Invoking that right ensures that you can learn about your rights and avoid saying things that could incriminate you. Even small points that you think may not hurt your case could be detrimental.
Anyone who’s facing criminal charges should consider every avenue possible for their defense. In some cases, violations of your rights could become a component of that strategy. Discussing all this with someone who’s familiar with these matters can help you to find solutions that are in your best interests. Just be sure that you don’t wait too long to do this because some of the options that you have might be time-sensitive.