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Rights During a Prince William County DUI Stop 

It is significant to understand one’s rights during a Prince William County DUI stop so individuals are not forced to comply with illegal procedures. During a DUI stop, a driver can ask to speak to a lawyer whenever they want. While an officer will most likely respond that the individual can call a lawyer when they get to the station, if the officer does not allow them to speak to legal counsel at that moment, the best course of action for the driver to take is to not say anything at all that can implicate them. Know that you can refuse to make any statements whatsoever until a lawyer is present. To learn more about your rights during a Prince William County DUI stop, do not hesitate to speak to a trusted defense lawyer today for more information.

Prince William County DUI Stop and Miranda Rights

One’s Miranda rights include a set of constitutional guarantees an individual has during the arrest process that they need to be made aware of. One’s Miranda rights include the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney, and the right not to incriminate one’s self. These rights explicitly apply during a custodial interrogation after an arrest as well. Reach out to a skilled DUI attorney to learn more.

Under Arrest

An individual has to be under arrest for Miranda rights to be relevant. There also has to be some custodial interrogation in order for the police to have to give the driver their Miranda rights. Other than that, they do not have to state their entire Miranda rights to them. If an officer stops someone under suspicion of DUI, the officer gives them their Miranda rights and then the officer asks to perform the field sobriety tests. However, know that an officer is not obligated to state the Miranda rights to the driver unless they are under currently arrest or are in a custodial interrogation situation, which rarely occurs in DUI stops before the actual arrest.

Terry Stop

The Terry stop happens before DUI arrests, which refers colloquially to the Supreme Court case Terry v Ohio. The outcome of this case gave law enforcement the ability to briefly detain an individual in order to question them if they have reasonable, articulable suspicion that a crime has occurred.

Articulable Suspicion

There must be a reasonable, articulable suspicion that a driver is committing a specific crime to conduct a stop. If law enforcement does not possess that, then an officer is violating the rights of the driver and the DUI stop would not be considered legal. But for the purposes of the stop, they do not have to read someone their Miranda rights until they are at the arrest point. Because one’s rights during a Prince William County DUI stop can be confusing, it is important to consult with a skilled lawyer for more on the subject.

Knowing Your Rights During a Prince William County DUI Stop

The ability to know your rights during a Prince William County DUI stop could greatly affect your case. Being able to speak to a lawyer during the stop itself is an extremely powerful ability, as well as the fact you do not have to say anything incriminating about your case. If that can be avoided at all costs, law enforcement would not be able to record a statement against you that would have negative implications in court. In order to know more about your rights during a Prince William County DUI stop, contact a professional defense attorney today for your initial consultation.

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