How the Fifth Amendment Protects You in an Annapolis, MD DWI Situation

Police officers tend to ask lots of questions when they pull drivers over. Sometimes they honestly are trying to figure out information, however, in other times, they may only want to intimidate the driver. Either way, many motorists think they are required to answer any and all questions they are asked during an Annapolis, MD DWI situation, but because of the fifth amendment, they do not.

Protection Against Questions

Common questions officers ask drivers is if they’ve been drinking. If the driver says yes, the officer then usually asks the driver how many drinks he has had. Here, not only does the driver admit he has consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel, he also tells the officer how much he has had to drink. Both of these answers incriminate the driver, and hurt his case.

Pleading the Fifth

The fifth amendment was designed to help citizens avoid hurting themselves in legal matters, such as Maryland drunk driving cases. Instead of lying to the police officer, simply state that you are pleading the fifth. Doing so is not an admission of guilt, and a judge will likely not see it that way.

Declining Tests

Regardless of what the officer tells you, you do not have to participate in field sobriety testing. You can plead the fifth and opt out of taking the tests without receiving punishment. Field sobriety tests are often inaccurate because they are affected by so many factors, including bad weather and less than ideal terrain. Even if you aren’t intoxicated, you could still fail a test because of the conditions, making declining them often the best choice.

Even if you plead the fifth with your Annapolis, MD DWI situation, you will still need an experienced lawyer to help you. We may be able to help drop your charges, or assist you in receiving a ruling that is more favorable than you would otherwise.

Call the law offices of Jimeno and Gray at (410) 590-9401 for help and information. Request your free copy of the book The ABCs of DWIs in Maryland, written by Anne Arundel County DWI attorney Gregory Jimeno, when you call.