Were you recently arrested and charged with a criminal offense in Houston? Did the arresting officer read you your rights? One of the most common concerns our Houston criminal defense lawyers receive from clients is that arresting law enforcement officers did not read them their rights. These rights – commonly referred to as the Miranda Rights – are widely known. Most notably, they consist of your right to remain silent and your right to have legal representation.
Your rights are crucial to your defense and to the outcome of your case, which is why it is essential that you have a solid understanding of what they mean. What many individuals have difficulty understanding, however, is whether these rights have to be read by law enforcement officers.
Generally, individuals who are in custody and under suspicion of committing a crime must have their rights read to them by arresting officers. The key element of this requirement is the fact that suspects must be in custody for the requirement to apply. This means that if you are not in custody, officers are not required to read you your Miranda rights. There are also other exceptions to the rule. For example, officers are not required to read suspects their rights if there is a public safety concern.
These tricky exceptions to the rule commonly cause confusion among our firm's clients. Regardless of whether officers read you your rights or not, the most important thing to remember is that you have rights and that you should exercise them. Specifically, you should assert your right to remain silent and to not discuss the events surrounding your arrest until you speak with a criminal defense attorney in Houston.
Of course, understanding, remembering, and invoking your rights can be difficult in the heat of the moment. Whatever the situation may be and whatever transpired during your arrest, you can find the immediate support and assistance you need from Billy Skinner & Associates. Our legal team is prepared to evaluate all circumstances surrounding your arrest – including the protocol of arresting officers – as we work toward defending your freedom and future.
Learn more about your rights, your case, and how our firm can help by completing a free case evaluation form or by calling a criminal lawyer in Houston at (713) 600-7777.
