The Right to Remain Silent
Invoking Miranda Protections During Police Questioning
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Thanks to the landmark Supreme Court decision Miranda v. Arizona (1966), most Americans know that “you have the right to remain silent” when being interrogated by law enforcement. But how and when that right is exercised has been a subject of fierce debate in the 44 years since Miranda was decided.
Last term, a sharply divided Supreme Court ruled in the case of Berghuis v. Thompkins that in order to end a police interrogation, a suspect has to actively invoke his Miranda rights — the mere fact that he remains silent, even for over two hours, is not enough to stop law enforcement from continuing to ask…
In This Issue
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The Right to Remain Silent
Invoking Miranda Protections During Police Questioning
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Opinion of the Court
Thompkins Did Waive His Miranda Rights During Interrogation
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Police Interrogation Procedure
Court Holdings on Waiving Miranda Rights
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Inside the Court
Status of Important Cases Before the Highest Tribunal
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Before the Court
The Justices Weigh in During Oral Arguments
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Pro & Con
Does a Suspect Have to Actively Assert His Miranda Rights in Order to End a Police Interrogation?