There are few things in life that can make you sweat like being stopped by the police. If an officer wants to ask you questions, you must quickly make some very important decisions. And you do not want to let your nerves get the better of you and tell the officer something that could eventually be presented in court as evidence against you.
And while you may feel tempted to talk your way out of potential charges, doing so will likely end up causing you problems rather than solving them. Therefore, you do not want to tell an officer any of the following:
- That you only had a drink or two before getting behind the wheel. Your confession to having consumed any alcohol could serve as just cause for the officer to detain you or continue with their interrogation.
- That he or she can search your car or your person. You are protected by search and seizure laws up until the point you give an officer permission to conduct a search.
- Any sort of lies. If it is discovered that you lied to an officer, you could face charges of obstructing justice.
When speaking with an officer, remember that you can invoke your Miranda rights at any time, which means that you do not have to say anything whatsoever. So the simplest thing you can do is cooperate with the officer when he or she asks you for identification and refrain from exhibiting hostility. Beyond that, you are best served remaining silent and asking to have an attorney act as your representative.
And you are typically best served by hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney who is interested in protecting your rights. An attorney who acts on your behalf can investigate the circumstances of your arrest and form a strategy focused on getting positive results.
