Fifth Amendment Right to Remain Silent | Privilege Against Self Incrimination in Larimer County Courts

Thankfully, an inherent right given to you through the Constitution is your right to remain silent if what you have to say may lead to legal consequences. This 5^th Amendment right protects you from having to admit to anything that could result in criminal charges against you. Imagine if we did not have this permission – you could actually be called to testify against yourself!

Fort Collins 5^th Amendment Right Against Self Incrimination

We all know the line, “You have the right to remain silent” as it has been heard on numerous TV shows and movies, but what does it actually mean? Well, there are many scenarios where your Fifth Amendment rights come into play in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park and it’s not always just when a Fort Collins police officer is putting you in handcuffs. Let’s look at some examples of when you can invoke your privilege against self-incrimination:

• In the Larimer County Court:
  • When you are testifying in court and your testimony is different from prior statements to the Court or police
  • When your testimony could subject you to criminal charges for admitting to criminal conduct
• In Sex Offender Treatment:
  • When during a polygraph test, you are asked to disclose any past crimes or criminal conduct and admitting so could expose you to criminal charges or get you terminated from probation or treatment
  • When a probation officer asks you about what you were doing at a certain time, and the answer could get you revoked from probation
• When a police officer want to question you.

Larimer County Right to Invoke the Fifth Amendment: Testifying in Boulder County Court

As mentioned before, if you are called to testify in Larimer, Boulder, or Grand County Court, you have the right to remain silent and invoke the 5^th amendment. However, if you are called to the stand and decide to answer questions asked by your lawyer, some judges will say that you have waived your right of self-incrimination and must answer the questions asked by the prosecutor. Be very careful when choosing to testify, because it may open doors that you wanted to keep shut.

If you or someone you love has been charged with a crime or are worried about self-incrimination, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the affordable criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 today. Together, we can protect your future.

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