You Have the Right to Remain Silent During DUI Roadside Exercises
Should you be pulled over for a DUI (driving under the influence) then it is important to know your rights and to act in a way that will ensure the best possible outcome for you.
When you are stopped because an officer believes that you may be driving drunk, you may be asked to exit the vehicle and to perform a number of tests in order to demonstrate your sobriety. These tests are known as standardized field sobriety tests (SFST).
But as we all know from television and movies, the police will need to read you Miranda warnings before they can legally interrogate you after detaining you. That’s the part where they tell you your rights and let you know that you have ‘the right to remain silent’.
At this point, they may also begin to search you and to ask questions such as whether you have been drinking, how much and where you have been prior. Keep in mind that as soon as a police officer stops you in this way, suspecting that you may be under the influence, they are then going to begin making a case against you to make an arrest and charge you with DUI.
If you speak to any criminal defense attorney in Miami, they will advise you to think primarily about looking after your own best interests at this point. Many of us have an innate desire to ‘comply’ with the police officer, thinking that our cooperation will help things go smoothly. It’s worth keeping in mind that you are already under suspicion here. The actions you will be asked to carry out as part of the test are difficult under even normal circumstances and it is highly subjective whether you pass or fail these tests. The officer is incredibly biased, as they will be looking for signs that you are under the influence. From a scientific perspective, they are looking for evidence to support a hypothesis they already hold – rather than simply observing the evidence in front of them.
As a Miami criminal law firm, we hear of many reports where suspects make statements that help the police to prosecute them. You do not have to answer questions as to your whereabouts and nor do you need to answer questions that have been designed to incriminate you and to support the theory that you may be drunk.
So, when you are told you have the right to remain silent, heed that advice. We recommend that you choose your words carefully and that you don’t engage in an active discourse until you have found yourself a criminal defense attorney in Miami.
Get in touch with Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney today and we can look at representing you and providing you with the legal advice you need? We know how to make the law work for our clients, as it was designed to do. And we can prevent others from using it against you.
Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney handles a variety of criminal law cases, so call now if you have any questions.
View more contact information here: Criminal Defense Attorney In Miami.