If police question me without first reading Miranda rights, can my case be thrown out?

UPDATED: Jul 14, 2023Fact Checked

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Jeffrey Johnson

Insurance Lawyer

Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina. He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman Univer...

Insurance Lawyer

UPDATED: Jul 14, 2023

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.

We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.

UPDATED: Jul 14, 2023Fact Checked

A defendant’s statement given during custodial interrogation will not be admissible in court unless his constitutional rights as set down in Miranda v Arizona have been observed. Under the law, police cannot question a defendant unless he or she is first advised of Miranda rights and voluntarily waives them. When the police fail to properly advise a defendant of his or her Miranda rights, the defendant or defendant’s attorney can suppress any statement the defendant gives during questioning upon application. If the defense does not ask that the statement be suppressed based on the fact that the defendant was not read his Miranda warnings, it can still be used against the defendant in court.

Even if a statement is suppressed because of a violation of the defendant’s Miranda rights, it does not mean the case will end at that time. Once a criminal case is filed, the only way it can be “thrown out” of court is if the prosecution withdraws the charges, or if the judge or jury dismisses the charges because of insufficient evidence.

Most of the time, the evidence in a criminal case will consist of more than just a statement taken from the defendant by the police. This additional evidence, even without the defendant’s statement, can be enough to convict him or her of the crimes with which he or she has been charged. Most of the time, the suppression of a defendant’s statements because of a violation of Miranda rights is not enough to warrant a dismissal of the case.

It should also be noted that the police do not have to give the Miranda warnings prior to arresting a suspect. These warnings only have to be given prior to questioning by the police. Law enforcement authorities also do not have to advise a defendant of his Miranda rights before asking basic background questions like an individual’s name, age, or address.

Case Studies: Impact of Miranda Rights Violation

Case Study 1: The Confession

In a high-profile murder case, the defendant, John Smith, was arrested without being read his Miranda rights. During the subsequent custodial interrogation, Smith confessed to the crime. However, his defense attorney successfully argued that the confession should be suppressed due to the Miranda violation. As a result, the confession was deemed inadmissible in court.

Despite this setback for the prosecution, they were able to present substantial physical evidence linking Smith to the crime scene, leading to his conviction.

Case Study 2: The Missing Warning

In another case, Sarah Jones was arrested for alleged drug trafficking. Although the police informed Jones of her right to remain silent, they failed to specifically mention her right to an attorney. Her defense lawyer filed a motion to suppress her statements, arguing that the incomplete Miranda warning invalidated her subsequent confession.

The court agreed and excluded her confession from evidence. Nevertheless, the prosecution relied on surveillance footage, witness testimonies, and other evidence to secure a conviction against Jones.

Case Study 3: The Technicality

Michael Anderson was arrested on suspicion of fraud and taken into custody. During questioning, the police mistakenly failed to issue him the complete Miranda warning. Anderson’s attorney discovered this procedural error and filed a motion to suppress his statements, contending that they were obtained in violation of his rights.

The court agreed and deemed the confession inadmissible. However, the prosecution presented an overwhelming amount of documentary evidence and witness testimonies, leading to Anderson’s conviction.​

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Jeffrey Johnson

Insurance Lawyer

Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina. He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman Univer...

Insurance Lawyer

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption