ABA Family Legal Guide

Criminal Justice

The Police and Your Rights

What is an interrogation?

An interrogation might be explicit questioning, such as the police asking you, "Did you kill John Doe?" Interrogation also might be less obvious, such as comments made by the police that they know are likely to elicit incriminating information from you. It is legal for the police to lie to you about what they know or suspect or what other people have said about you. The police may try to trick you into talking. This is one reason why it is so important to have a lawyer present during your interrogation.