Accused of a crime? You have rights. In this brief guide, we take a look at the rights you have with regards to the criminal process in the United States.
Anyone charged with a crime in the USA is to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Although the criminal process might make defendants feel like a criminal, they are not one until convicted in court.
A Few of the Many Rights You Have in Throughout the Criminal Process:
- A Right to a Fair Trial
- Right to Due Process
- Right to Seek Redress or Legal Remedy
- Rights of participation in politics or civil society (i.e. right to assemble)
- Right to petition
- Right of self-defense
- Right to vote
- Burden of proof is on the prosecution (not your obligation to prove otherwise)
- Rights guarding against unlawful search and seizures
- Right to not self-incriminate (under the Fourth Amendment)
- The right to ‘plead the Fifth’ and refuse to answer any question that may be self-incriminating
- Right to not be prosecuted twice for the same crime (Double Jeopardy)
- The right for criminal defendants to be represented by counsel of their choice
- Right to request a jury trial
- Right to an impartial jury
