Wondering if You Should to Talk to Police if NJ? Be Informed.
Just driving down the road and passing a police officer can bring out some level of nervousness. Was I speeding? Did I use by blinker? Was my cellphone in my hand? All these types of questions tend to race through our head as we continue past the officer. So, we can certainly understand the extreme nervousness and unsettling feeling that most undergo when they receive a random phone call from a police officer. Especially when the officer is asking for the individual to come down to the station to be asked a few questions. There are countless reasons why this may occur, some of which can be very innocuous and others that can change the landscape of your future. Understanding your rights and your options can be extremely beneficial if you find yourself in this type of situation.
The local criminal defense attorneys at our Monmouth County law firm are here to provide answers to your specific questions about talking to police and we can advocate on your behalf in any upcoming interviews or interactions with law enforcement. We provide free confidential consultations and encourage you to contact us at 732-858-6959 to discuss your unique circumstances.
Why do the Police want to Talk to me?
This is probably the most important question that the individual needs to figure out. Are you a suspect in an investigation? Are you a target of the investigation? Have you been charged criminally? Are they trying to process you on the criminal complaint? Are you a witness? Will they be interrogating you? Or is it something far less intrusive? As you can see, there are so many reasons that the police may be contacting you. Typically, the individual involved will have some type of an idea as to why they are being contacted. If it involves any type sort of illegal conduct, we strongly urge that you speak to a lawyer prior to making any decisions. Understanding your rights, is absolutely crucial during this time period.
What if the Police want to Speak to my Juvenile?
If this is the case, it is important to understand that in order for the police to conduct any formal questioning of a juvenile in New Jersey, a parent and/or guardian must be present. They must be present not only for the questioning, but for the waiving of their Miranda Rights as well. Again, the similar logic discussed above applies, in order to figure what is the best approach when being asked to come down to the station for questioning, you need to figure out what the basis for the questioning is. This can prove to be even more difficult because now you have to hope that the juvenile is being open and honest and not holding back any information.
Should you ever Talk to Police without an Attorney?
Attorneys, especially one whose practice is focused in criminal defense, can prove to be extremely helpful during this time period. First, they can reach out to the detective on your behalf and seek to garner whatever information they can to try and determine what exactly it is that they are looking for. Secondly, based on that, they can they go over all of your options with you, which includes choosing not to come down for a formal statement. Police officers, especially detectives, go through a tremendous amount of training in order to help them extract information and build their cases against individuals they believe may have committed a crime. In other words, they tend to ask questions that at first glance seem irrelevant or innocuous but in reality those answers are helping them tie together their circumstantial case. Very rarely do they anticipate that their suspect will give a full confession. That is why having an attorney guide you through this process, even if it is determined that giving a statement might be beneficial, is of vital importance to protecting your freedom.
What Happens if You don’t Talk during a Police Interview?
The police cannot charge an individual solely for exercising their right to remain silent. But that certainly does not mean that they do not already have enough evidence outside of a potential incriminating statement to charge the individual. It is not uncommon in the least for an officer to call an individual down for questioning, knowing that they already have enough information and will be charging them regardless of what is said during the interview. Therefore, exercising your right to remain silent might prove to be your best option. Limiting the amount of evidence the prosecution might have at their disposal is always beneficial when it comes time to litigating a criminal case.
Need to Speak to a Local Lawyer in Monmouth County
There are countless reason why law enforcement might be seeking to speak to you or a loved one, some of which might not require the assistance of an attorney. If you feel that talking to a lawyer prior to speaking to the police is potentially in your best interest, please feel to contact our office at 732-858-6959. One of our Monmouth County criminal defense lawyers would be glad to assist you in anyway that we can. We serve all of Monmouth County, including Middletown, Freehold, Hazlet, Asbury Park, Wall Township, Long Branch, Manalapan, Marlboro, Keyport, Red Bank and Holmdel. If you have any questions whatsoever, please do no hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.
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