There are two situations in which the police are required to read you the Miranda Rights. The first is when you are being placed under arrest, and the second is when you are about to be questioned or interrogated. The Miranda Rights remind you that you have the rights to remain silent and not incriminate yourself or anyone else. The criminal lawyers of Knochel Law Office in Bullhead City, Arizona, have been serving the Tri-State area since 1987. Below, they share three things to do if the police don't read you your rights.

Lawyers List 3 Things to Do if You Aren't Read Your Rights

1. Understand the Charges Against You Are Still Active

There is a prevalent assumption that if the police forget to read you your rights, their case against you is invalidated. This is far from the truth. While the police may have made the state's case against you harder to prove, the charges you're facing are still active, and you'll still have to maintain and fight for your innocence. Behave accordingly even if your rights aren't read; you don't want additional charges piling up against you.

2. Watch What You Say

When the police don't read a suspect their rights, much of what the latter says cannot be used by prosecutors for evidence at a trial. Still, it's always in your best interests to err on the side of caution. If you don't invoke your right to silence on your own, speak as little as possible until you've contacted a lawyer.

3. Call a Lawyer

Let your attorney know your Miranda Rights were not read to you. This is valuable information for the trial phase, and your lawyer can start building a defense strategy that underscores this police error. While it's certainly not a guarantee you'll walk away from the charges without consequences, not being read your rights establishes a strong case in your favor.

If you were not read your rights, trust the legal aid and guidance of Knochel Law Office’s skilled criminal lawyers. Contact them online to schedule a consultation with a criminal defense or DUI lawyer. You can also reach them by phone at (928) 444-1000 or through their Facebook or Google+ pages.