Access To Information During DC Federal Investigations

If you believe you are under investigation in Washington, DC it is imperative you seek the counsel of an experienced DC federal criminal lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights and ensure you don’t incriminate yourself in any way. The following is information on the type of information the government will be looking for, how they will seek to obtain that information, and what you can do to their limit access. To learn more or discuss your case call and schedule a consultation with an attorney today.

Information to Government Can Access

The government has the legal authority to access almost every kind of information in a case. The only exception is information that might be privileged, but even that is narrowly defined in the context of criminal cases.

The government can pursue almost any relevant information. This becomes apparent when, in the middle of a federal investigation where the government takes all the computers, phones, and information that is on them and copies them. The government has access to pretty much everything and anything if they follow proper procedure.

Is There Anyway to Limit Access To This Information?

A person can challenge search warrants if they can show that there was no probable cause or that the government made a procedural error in obtaining or executing the search.

If there is a situation where one’s Fourth Amendment rights were violated, the Constitution sometimes requires that the evidence be suppressed. If that’s an applicable situation in a person’s case, then Fourth Amendment remedies are something the attorney can pursue.

If Law Enforcement Shows Up At Your Home

In such a circumstance, a person should not give consent to the search of their home. Beyond identifying oneself, a person should not speak to the agents. They should assert their right to have counsel present before questioning can continue.

An individual should not let the authorities in to look around and should assert their right to silence and an attorney. If the authorities say they have a search warrant, there is really not much a person can do. They could ask to look at the search warrant. But if the authorities have a legally executed search warrant, they are likely going to come in and look around. At that point, it’s important that a person be compliant in terms of executing the search warrant. A person should remember not to speak to the agents and remember to assert their right to an attorney.

Shouldn’t You Just Show That You Have Nothing To Hide?

No, the person should not try to show that they have nothing to hide because they don’t know exactly what the authorities are looking for. Also, the authorities are trained professionals who use the information they gather to build a case against the individual. There is no obligation on a person’s part to prove that they have nothing to hide. They should politely say no to the search and assert their right to have an attorney present when speaking to the government.

If Police Want You To Go To The Police Station

An individual should speak to an attorney before going in to the police station to speak to government agents or police officers. An individual does not want to inadvertently incriminate himself. They should respectfully and politely decline the invitation to speak to authorities until they speak to an attorney first.

They can consult with their attorney and come to a decision as to whether or not they want to speak to the government. But prior to speaking to and getting counseling from their attorney, a person should respectfully decline such an invitation. There is obviously no benefit to speaking to the police and absolutely no downside to not speaking.