When are Miranda warnings required?

• A. During noncustodial interviews
• B. During custodial interrogation
• C. In all police encounters
• D. Only when the suspect asks for counsel

Answer: (B)

Miranda warnings are meant to protect the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and apply when a person is in custody and being questioned by police. The warnings must be given before any interrogation—that is, before police ask questions intended to elicit information in a custodial setting. If warnings aren’t given in that situation, the statements are typically not admissible at trial, unless there’s a valid waiver or an applicable exception. If the person isn’t in custody or the encounter isn’t an interrogation (for example, a casual, noncustodial interview), warnings aren’t required. They aren’t triggered merely by police contact or by the suspect asking for counsel; the warnings come into play specifically with custodial interrogation.