Question

On appeal when reviewing possible violations of Miranda, the Supreme Court will

a) require automatic reversal of the conviction
b) requires that harmless error be considered
c) requires automatic affirmation of the conviction
d) follow the Rule of Four

Answer 1

The Supreme Court requires that harmless error be reviewed when considering appeals of possible Miranda violations. The Miranda decision outlines that confessions are not admissible unless suspects are informed of their rights, impacting the procedural integrity of the case.

Step-by-step explanation:

On appeal, when reviewing possible violations of Miranda rights, the Supreme Court requires that harmless error be considered (b). This means that the court must determine whether the violation had an impact on the outcome of the case. If they decide that the error was harmless, meaning it did not affect the trial's result, the conviction could be upheld. On the other hand, if they find that the error was not harmless, it could lead to a reversal of the conviction.

The Miranda v. Arizona case establishes the requirement for police to inform suspects of their rights, specifically the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney before questioning. These protections are part of the safeguard against self-incrimination, as outlined by the Fifth Amendment, and are necessary to ensure confessions are voluntary and that defendants are not subjected to coercive interrogation practices.