What is the 4th Amendment in simple terms?

The Constitution, through the Fourth Amendment, protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. The Fourth Amendment, however, is not a guarantee against all searches and seizures, but only those that are deemed unreasonable under the law.

How do you know if something is illegal?

Inquire with the staff at your local government building. Even if local laws aren’t printed online, they will be available at city/town hall or the courthouse. You can call this location and inquire with the staff in the office if they are aware if something is illegal.

Do you have to say yes to Miranda rights?

Any officer has the right to ask you questions; you have the right to politely decline to answer. An officer must only read you the Miranda Warning if he or she plans on using your answers as evidence at a trial. Therefore, in many instances you may be stopped and asked questions without being read those rights.

What happens if someone violates a no contact order?

If you are approved for a no-contact order, and the individual ignores it and contacts or harasses you anyway, report the incident to the police immediately. They can be arrested and charged as a result of violating the court order. You may, in some cases, have the option to file a civil suit against someone for harassment.

What to do if someone is harassing you on the phone?

[Other] Stop calling me – I don’t want to be in contact with you. If you continue to call me, I will contact the police. If you don’t want to claim harassment directly, you should at least tell the person what they’re doing and the fact that you don’t want them to do it.

Are you legally obliged to report a crime?

Generally speaking, most people are under no legal obligation to report a crime, whether they knew about it in advance, witnessed its commission, or found out about it after the fact. However, there are exceptions to this law that you ought to know about.

When to call the police if you are in an emergency?

If at any point you feel afraid the person may physically harm you or someone you love, call the police immediately – use 911 if the situation is urgent. If you feel the issue isn’t urgent, but still do not feel safe, it is acceptable to call your local police department’s non-emergency line instead.