The police want to talk to me
If a detective or an agent wants to talk to you, do not call back and do not go in on your own. Call a criminal defense lawyer and let the lawyer make the call. This is true whether they say you are a suspect, a witness, or that they just want to "clear something up."
What to do today
- Do not call the detective or agent back yourself. Keep the card, the voicemail, or the letter.
- Call a criminal defense lawyer. Tell the lawyer who contacted you, how, and when.
- Do not talk about it with friends, coworkers, or anyone who may also be contacted, and do not post about it.
- Do not delete messages, files or records, and do not ask anyone else to. Keep everything as it is and let your lawyer advise you.
- If an officer shows up in person, say politely that you will not answer questions without a lawyer and that your lawyer will be in touch.
You do not have to be a witness against yourself in a criminal case [1]. The decision to talk, if it is ever made, should be made with a lawyer who has first found out what the investigation is about.
Why a "voluntary" interview is not a small thing
A call that says "come in, it's nothing serious" is still an interview about a criminal case. Anything you tell the police can end up in the case file. You will not know what the investigators already have, and they write the report of what you said.
The Miranda warnings apply to custodial questioning [2]. A sit-down at your kitchen table or an interview you agreed to may not come with any warning at all. That is one more reason not to go without a lawyer.
If you are in custody and you say you want a lawyer, questioning must stop until a lawyer is present [3]. Say it clearly: the right has to be invoked clearly, and staying silent on its own did not invoke it [4].
What a lawyer can do
- Call the detective, agent or prosecutor and ask what the investigation is about and what your role in it is.
- Tell investigators to contact the lawyer, not you.
- Help you decide whether there is any reason to talk, and if so, prepare you and sit with you.
- Advise you on documents, devices and any subpoena you receive.
State police and federal agents
The advice is the same for a local detective, a state investigator and a federal agent. Federal cases have a few extra signals worth knowing:
- A letter saying you are a "target" of a federal grand jury investigation. See federal target letters.
- A grand jury subpoena for testimony or records. See grand jury subpoenas.
- Agents at your home or office, with or without a warrant. See agents at the door and search warrants and raids.
For the usual order of steps once a case starts, use What happens next, or see the court pages for New York, New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania and federal court.
Common questions
They said I am only a witness. Do I still need a lawyer?
Yes. People are often called witnesses early in an investigation, and that can change. A lawyer can ask what the conversation is about and help you decide whether to talk at all.
Will refusing to talk make me look guilty?
Asking for a lawyer is a right, and investigators hear it all the time. Saying nothing without a lawyer is far safer than saying the wrong thing.
What should I do with the detective's card?
Keep it and give it to your lawyer. Do not call the number yourself.
Sources
- U.S. Const. amend. V. Current as of November 11, 2026. Official text
- Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966). Current as of November 11, 2026. Official text
- Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966). Current as of November 11, 2026. Official text
- Berghuis v. Thompkins, 560 U.S. 370 (2010). Current as of November 11, 2026. Official text
Arrested, or think you might be? Call before you answer any questions.
Call and tell us who was arrested or contacted and where the case is. A lawyer will tell you what happens next and what to do tonight. Please do not type what happened into a form or an email. We will talk about it on the phone.