So, what do you do if the police tell you that they want you to come over to the police station for questioning? For obvious reasons, being asked by law enforcement to go to the station house for questioning can be intimidating and, for some, a form of harassment. The first thing to do, of course, is to seek legal advice and counsel from nationally-known Maryland criminal defense attorneys. You need to understand your rights and be as fully prepared as possible for your “questioning” by the police. Contact the experienced and aggressive Maryland criminal defense attorneys here at the Law Office of Robert Castro. Our number is (301) 870-1200, or use our contact page. We are Maryland criminal defense attorneys with offices in Waldorf, MD. Here are a few other points if you are being asked to attend police questioning.

Find Out Why You are Being Asked to Answer Questions

Usually, law enforcement does not ask a person to come down to the station house if they are just a neutral witness in a police investigation. There is usually “something bigger” happening. Thus, it is important to try to figure out WHY the police are asking for a “station house questioning.” Often, this means that the individual is a so-called “person-of-interest.” In other words, the individual being asked to answer questions is a suspect in some crime. Importantly, if the police answer the question, the answer should be obtained in writing.

Are You Being Asked to Bring Documents?

Often, persons asked to attend a station-house questioning are asked to bring documents. The questions are “which documents?” and “whose documents?” There are a number of legal and ethical issues if the documents are not yours. For example, if you are an accountant and you are being asked to bring financial documents relating to a third person. Should you notify that person? Should you decline on ethical and other grounds? On the “plus side,” this likely means you are not a target of investigation. In any event, legal advice and assistance are needed

Can You Say “No”?

Another important fact to clarify is whether you can decline to go to the station house for questioning. This determines if the questioning is voluntary or compulsory. Your legal and constitutional rights depend a lot on whether you are being questioned involuntarily.

Ask if there is a Possibility of you being Arrested

Another question to have answered before you go to the station house is whether it is possible that you will be arrested before, during, or after the questioning. For obvious reasons, that possibility matters greatly in terms of whether you agree to attend and/or how you prepare.

Remember Your Constitutional and Legal Rights

Remember that you have many rights that are protected by the U.S. and the Maryland Constitutions. You also have various rights protected by federal and Maryland statutes. These protections allow an individual to say “no” to being questioned. But if you agree to be questioned, remember, you have the right not to incriminate yourself, which translates into the right to be silent. That is, you can decline to answer certain questions. Unless you are being arrested, you also have the right to leave the station house. You also have the right to have an attorney present with you.

But also remember that constitutional and statutory protections can be WAIVED. Thus, if you attend police questioning at the station house, the argument will be made that you WAIVED various protections.

Contact Waldorf, Maryland, Criminal Defense Lawyer Robert Castro Today

This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland criminal defense lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Criminal Defense lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20601.