In which landmark decision did the Supreme Court rule that defendants must be informed of their right to have their attorneys present during interrogation?

Asked by: Prof. Keven Lesch Sr.  |  Last update: March 14, 2026
Score: 4.9/5 (74 votes)

In Miranda v. Arizona (1966), the Supreme Court ruled that defendants must be informed of their right to have an attorney present during custodial interrogation. The 5-4 decision established that police must read suspects their rights—including the right to silence and counsel—to protect against self-incrimination under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments.

What landmark Supreme Court case ruled that an accused person in police custody must be informed of certain rights?

1966: Miranda v. Arizona. "Prior to any questioning, the person must be warned that he has a right to remain silent, that any statement he does make may be used as evidence against him, and that he has a right to the presence of an attorney, either retained or appointed." Earl Warren, 1891.

At what point did the Supreme Court say that a person must be informed of their rights?

Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 444 (1966) (emphasis added). Such warnings are thus required when a person is (1) taken into custody, and (2) subject to interrogation.

Which Supreme Court case decided that police must inform suspects of their rights before questioning?

On June 13, 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court hands down its decision in Miranda v. Arizona, establishing the principle that all criminal suspects must be advised of their rights before interrogation. Now considered standard police procedure, “You have the right to remain silent.

What was the rule in Miranda v Arizona?

5–4 decision for Miranda

The Fifth Amendment requires that law enforcement officials advise suspects of their right to remain silent and to obtain an attorney during interrogations while in police custody.

WARNING!!! This is the POLICE, You Have the RIGHT to remain SILENT...

18 related questions found

In which case did the U.S. Supreme Court first announce a constitutional right to privacy?

The Supreme Court first recognized a constitutional right to privacy in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), a landmark decision that centered around the freedom of individuals to use contraception without interference from the government.

Which landmark Supreme Court cases relate to the rights of the accused?

In Miranda v. Arizona in 1966, the Supreme Court considered four separate cases where defendants confessed to crimes after they were arrested and interrogated by police without being informed of their right to have an attorney present.

What happened in the Schenck v U.S. case?

Schenck v. United States (1919) was a landmark Supreme Court case where the Court upheld the conviction of Charles Schenck for distributing leaflets urging resistance to the World War I draft, establishing the "clear and present danger" test, which held that free speech can be limited if the words create a significant threat to national security, like falsely shouting "fire" in a crowded theater. The ruling affirmed the Espionage Act of 1917 and set the precedent that First Amendment rights are not absolute, especially during wartime, defining when speech could be suppressed by the government. 

What was the Baker v. Carr case about?

Baker v. Carr (1962) is the U.S. Supreme Court case that held that federal courts could hear cases alleging that a state's drawing of electoral boundaries, i.e. redistricting, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution.

Was Miranda actually guilty?

Mostly because of the confession, Miranda was convicted of rape and kidnapping and sentenced to 20 to 30 years in prison on both charges. Moore appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court, but the conviction was upheld there.

What role did landmark Supreme Court cases play in the civil rights movement?

This movement is often considered to have gained significant momentum following the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, marking a pivotal shift in federal support for desegregation.

Which landmark Supreme Court case protected citizens' right to a lawyer?

Gideon v. Wainwright. This Sixth Amendment activity is based on the landmark Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright dealing with the right to an attorney and In re Gault dealing with the right of juveniles to have an attorney.

Which of the following landmark Supreme Court cases ruled that a defendant has a right to consult an attorney during questioning and must be informed of this right?

The Supreme Court's decision in Miranda v. Arizona addressed four different cases involving custodial interrogations. In each of these cases, the defendant was questioned by police officers, detectives, or a prosecuting attorney in a room in which he was cut off from the outside world.

What landmark case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution protected a right to privacy?

In 1965, the United States Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Griswold v. Connecticut, ruling that a married couple has a right of privacy that cannot be infringed upon by a state law making it a crime to use contraceptives.

What was the landmark ruling in the Supreme Court case of McCulloch v. Maryland?

Decision. The Court determined that Congress had the power to create the Bank. Chief Justice Marshall supported his conclusion with four main arguments: Firstly, he argued that historical practice established Congress's power to create the bank.

What was the Supreme Court decision in Schenck v United States quizlet?

In Schenck v. United States (1919), the Supreme Court decided the government can restrict free speech, establishing the "clear and present danger" test, which allows punishment for speech that creates a serious threat or imminent harm, especially during wartime, like obstructing the draft. Writing for the unanimous Court, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. stated that the First Amendment doesn't protect speech that creates a "clear and present danger," famously comparing it to falsely shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater. 

Why was the ruling in the landmark Supreme Court case Schenck v. United States significant in the history of free speech in the United States?

Articulating for the first time the “clear and present danger test,” Holmes concluded that the First Amendment does not protect speech that approaches creating a clear and present danger of a significant evil that Congress has power to prevent.

In what case of Schenck v United States the Supreme Court decided that freedom of speech is the absolute right of all Americans?

The Court ruled in Schenck v. United States (1919) that speech creating a “clear and present danger” is not protected under the First Amendment. This decision shows how the Supreme Court's interpretation of the First Amendment sometimes sacrifices individual freedoms in order to preserve social order.

What was the final outcome of the Miranda decision?

The final outcome of the Miranda v. Arizona decision was the Supreme Court ruling that suspects must be informed of their rights to silence and to an attorney before custodial interrogation; otherwise, any statements they make are inadmissible in court, establishing the famous "Miranda Rights" (right to remain silent, right to counsel) to protect Fifth Amendment self-incrimination rights. While Miranda's conviction was overturned on appeal because of the violation, he was later retried and convicted using other evidence. 

Which U.S. Supreme Court case ruled that all felony defendants have a right to counsel?

Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963) In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court established that the Fourteenth Amendment creates a right for criminal defendants who cannot pay for their own lawyers to have the state appoint attorneys on their behalf.

In which case did the U.S. Supreme Court uphold the right of states to conduct some criminal trials with juries composed of 6 members?

[Constitution prohibits] a reduction in [jury] size to below six members.” ). Ballew v. Georgia, 435 U.S. 223, 245 (1978) (opinion of Blackmun, J.)

What happened in the Katz v. United States case?

7–1 decision for Katz

The Court ruled that Katz was entitled to Fourth Amendment protection for his conversations and that a physical intrusion into the area he occupied was unnecessary to bring the Amendment into play. "The Fourth Amendment protects people, not places," wrote Justice Potter Stewart for the Court.

What was the first Supreme Court decision to declare an act of Congress unconstitutional?

In Marbury v. Madison, decided in 1803, the Supreme Court, for the first time, struck down an act of Congress as unconstitutional. This decision created the doctrine of judicial review and set up the Supreme Court of the United States as chief interpreter of the Constitution.

What did the case Marbury v. Madison establish?

With his decision in Marbury v. Madison, Chief Justice John Marshall established the principle of judicial review, an important addition to the system of “checks and balances” created to prevent any one branch of the Federal Government from becoming too powerful.