Keep registration and proof of insurance easily available.  If pulled over, ask why you were stopped.  If asked where you are coming from or going, state:  “Please do not question me about my personal affairs.”  If asked if something in the car belongs to you, state:  “Please do not ask about my ownership interest in anything.”  If asked if you’ve been drinking, then state:  “Officer, please quit questioning me about my personal affairs.”  If such questioning persists, state:  “If I’m not presently under arrest, please allow me to leave.”  Never give permission to search your car.  Decline to do roadside sobriety tests (heel-to-toe, etc.).  You may decline without penalty – no license points, civil fine, or charges!  Decline PBT:  If asked to blow into a preliminary breath test (PBT) device, again decline.  The officer may warn that you’ll get a ticket for not blowing, but that’s okay.  It’s only a civil fine – no points or prosecution will result.  Without a sobriety test or PBT:  The officer is less likely to request a breath test at the station.  If asked, however, request to speak with your lawyer to explain your rights before deciding.  If the officer presses the issue and you remain uncertain, “Just Say No,” only now you’ll get six points and lose your license for a year (which may be restored through court).  However, the officer is now less likely to secure a search warrant to draw your blood.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!

Auto Accidents

• Get name, address, and phone number of the other driver and all witnesses;

• Make notes on the accident, covering who, what, why, when, where, and how;

• Do not discuss the accident with the other driver;

• Do not take any blame for the accident;

• Call us for a free consultation at 989-894-1155.

Three Lines You Must Know During Police Encounters

• Officer, am I free to go?
• Officer, I do not consent to any searches.  Then ask:  Am I free to go now?
• Officer, I want to speak with an attorney.

IF YOU ARE ARRESTED

• Do not answer any questions or make any statements, except to say that you want to speak with a lawyer ASAP.  Bay Justice Associates can help.  Call us at (989) 894-1155 or toll-free:  1-888-409-8939.
• The amount of your bond is not set in stone.  Call us to try to have your bond reduced.  It may be reduced dramatically, or a bond may not be required at all.  But if you enter an agreement with a bonding agency, you won’t get any money back.
• If ever in jail, be careful what you say on the phone.  All calls are recorded and anything you say can and will be used against you.  Same thing with visits to the jail.  Everything is monitored.  So be cautious.

Constitutional Rights When Dealing With Police

Do not answer questions or make statements.  Exercise your 5th Amendment right to remain silent.  Anything you say (and sometimes what the police claim you said once you start talking) will be used against you.  If asked whether something belongs to you, tell the officer to please not ask about your ownership interest in anything.  If asked where you are going or where you came from, tell the officer to please not question you about your personal affairs.  State:  “If I am not presently under arrest or being held for investigation, please allow me to leave.”  Never give permission for a search.  Anywhere.  Anytime.  If you do, you waive your 4th Amendment right against unreasonable searches.  Do not be tricked or persuaded into giving your consent.  Ask for Attorney Ed Czuprynski.  When you ask for a lawyer, the officer knows he/she is supposed to stop questioning you under the 6th Amendment.  Ask for Attorney Ed Czuprynski and keep asking until the questioning stops.  It’s foolish to speak to the police without a lawyer.  You could be misunderstood and some police officers have selective memories.  Never open your door to the police.  If you do, an officer may claim to see or smell something, giving him/her the right to order you out of your home while he/she tries to get a search warrant.  If you do not open the door, he/she cannot do that.