Ensure the rights of every citizen are observed.
Plain-English guides to your constitutional rights during police encounters — so your freedoms are recognized, respected, and upheld. Rights you don't use, you risk losing.
How can you help protect our freedoms?
Four simple commitments that keep your rights strong.
Remain Silent
When stopped by any officer, calmly use your right to remain silent.
Refuse Searches
Always verbally refuse any search — clearly, respectfully, every time.
Request a Lawyer
If you are arrested, ask for a lawyer and stop answering questions.
Never Lie
Do not lie to police. Stay silent instead — it is your right.
Know your rights by situation
516 guides on police & government encounters across 14 topics.
Know Your Rights: Basics
Start here.
41 guides →The Right to Remain Silent
Your Fifth Amendment right to stay silent is one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — protections you have.
37 guides →Searches & Seizures
The Fourth Amendment shields you from unreasonable searches and seizures.
41 guides →Your Home & Property
Your home receives the strongest Fourth Amendment protection of all.
56 guides →Traffic Stops & Driving
Traffic stops are the most common police encounter.
58 guides →Vehicle Searches
Cars get less Fourth Amendment protection than your home — but not none.
19 guides →Stop & Frisk / Detention
When can an officer stop you, frisk you, or demand your ID? Learn the limits of Terry stops and reasonable suspicion, when you can legally walk away, and how to handle a pat-down on the street.
41 guides →Recording the Police
You have a First Amendment right to record police in public.
23 guides →Digital Privacy & Devices
Your phone holds your whole life — and the law is still catching up.
52 guides →Travel & Borders
Your rights shift at airports, borders, and across state lines.
19 guides →Protests & Public Spaces
Protest is protected speech.
13 guides →Schools, Work & Institutions
Your rights change inside schools, campuses, workplaces, and other institutions.
22 guides →Special Situations & Groups
Police encounters look different depending on who you are and where you are.
43 guides →Accountability & Legal Help
What to do after a questionable encounter.
51 guides →Renting? Know your tenant rights.
672 plain-English guides on evictions, repairs, security deposits, landlord harassment, breaking a lease, and more — for renters, landlords, and owners.
Explore Tenant Rights →Problems at work? Know your employment rights.
642 plain-English guides on getting paid fairly, overtime, wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment, leave, workplace injuries, and final paychecks — for employees and employers.
Explore Employment Rights →Buried in debt? Know your consumer rights.
605 plain-English guides on debt collectors, being sued, wage garnishment, credit-report errors, medical bills, payday loans, repossession, and bankruptcy — what collectors and creditors can and cannot legally do.
Explore Consumer & Debt Rights →Latest guides
- Understanding ‘Custodial Interrogation’ for Miranda
During a police encounter, understanding the concept of custodial interrogation is crucial in exercising your rights. Custodial interrogation refers to a…
- Can Police Pull You Over for a Suspended License, Registration, or Unpaid Tickets?
Can police pull you over for a suspended license, registration, unpaid tickets, or tolls? What Kansas v. Glover and the Fourth Amendment allow.
- How Do Miranda Rights Work for Teenagers?
As a teenager, it’s essential to know your rights when interacting with law enforcement. While it’s natural to feel nervous or unsure, understanding your…
- Federal vs. State Rights: Key Differences in Encounters
When interacting with law enforcement, it’s essential to understand the difference between federal and state rights to ensure you’re protected and respected.…
- Interacting with Campus Police vs. Local Police
As a student on campus, it’s essential to understand the differences between interacting with campus police and local law enforcement. While both types of…
- Do Police Need a Reason to Approach You in Public?
As you go about your daily routine, you might find yourself wondering: do police need a reason to approach you in public? Perhaps you’ve had an encounter…
- What to Do If Police Show Up at a Protest
When exercising your right to free speech and assembly, it’s essential to be prepared for interactions with law enforcement. While the majority of police…
- How to Check If You Have an Outstanding Warrant
A step-by-step police warrant check: how to look up an outstanding or bench warrant online, by phone, or through a lawyer, and what to do next.