What happens if I'm arrested and the police want to question me?
If you are arrested, you are required by law to honestly give your name, address, and date of birth. It can cause you more problems to refuse to comply or to give wrong information. You can be criminally charged for lying unless you were unlawfully arrested or detained. If it is a minor offense, it is a Class C misdemeanor and incurs a fine up to $500. If it is done in a more serious case, it can be a Class B misdemeanor and punishable with a fine of up to $2,000 and up to 6 months in jail.
You are not required to speak to anyone other than giving the above in
formation when you are arrested. As a general rule of thumb, we actually recommend asking for an attorney and not speaking to anyone when you have been arrested or asked to come in for questioning.
We typically tell our clients to respectfully decline, simpley stating, "out of precaution, I think it's best if I talk to a lawyer as I've been advised to not answer any questions."
Whether you have committed a crime been accused of committing a crime or witnessed a crime, you should seek a lawyer to help understand your rights and know what options you have.
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for genral information purposes only.
