Even if police officers provide you with assistance or treat you with kindness and respect, having to meet with them is rarely a positive experience. Whether your scenario involves juvenile crimes, traffic or DUI and driving-while-intoxicated crimes or drug, sex and white collar, it's best to be aware of your rights and responsibilities. If you could be guilty of wrongdoing or could face charges, contact a good lawyer immediately.

Identification? Not Necessarily

Many people don't know that they don't have to answer all an officer's questions, even if they have been pulled over. Even if you do have to prove who you are, you usually don't have to say much more about anything such as your recent whereabouts and activities or how much you have had to drink, in the case of a potential DUI arrest. The U.S. Constitution covers all of us and gives special protections that allow you to remain silent or give only some information. You have a right not to give testimony against yourself, and you may usually walk away 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 gets all the implications of the law if you want to protect yourself fully. State and federal laws change on a regular basis, and disparate laws apply based on jurisdiction and other factors. Furthermore, laws regularly get changed during deliberative sessions, and courts of law are constantly making further changes.

There are Times to Talk

While there are times to stay mute in the face of legal action, remember how most police really want to keep the peace and would rather not make arrests. You don't want to make the police feel like your enemies. This is yet one more reason to work with an attorney such as the expert counsel at criminal defense lawyer American Fork UT on your defense team, especially for interrogation. Your lawyer can advise you on when you should speak up with information and when to keep quiet.

Question Permission to Search

Unless police officers have probable cause that you you are a criminal, they can't search your car or home without permission. Probable cause, defined simply, is a reasonable belief that a crime has been committed. It's more serious than that, though. It's usually good to deny permission.