Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Miranda v. Arizona was a landmark case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1966, in which the Court articulated the idea of “Miranda warnings.” In brief, the Miranda decision held that suspects questioned by police must be informed of certain rights; otherwise, any statements the suspects make will not be admissible in court. Although the Miranda rights are unquestionably important, suspects can—and often do—give them up (i.e., waive their rights) and talk with police. Thus, the underlying issue in cases involving Miranda warnings is whether the waiver was valid and whether the suspect’s statements (e.g., a [Page 899]confession) are therefore admissible. In some cases, forensic psychologists are brought in to help the court determine waiver validity by evaluating a suspect’s ability ...