When are Miranda warnings triggered?

• A. During routine traffic stops.
• B. Before any questioning, regardless of custody.
• C. Only after a suspect asks for an attorney.
• D. When an individual is in custody and subject to interrogation by law enforcement.

Answer: (D)

Miranda warnings are required only when a person is in custody and being interrogated by police. Custody means the person isn’t free to leave—like being detained, handcuffed, or placed in a police car. Interrogation means the police are asking questions or engaging in conduct likely to elicit an incriminating response. If someone isn’t in custody or the police aren’t asking questions intended to get information, the warnings aren’t triggered. Routine traffic stops can be noncustodial and may not require warnings unless the stop becomes custody; simply asking questions without custody isn’t enough. The rights exist to protect people during custodial interrogation, and invoking the right to counsel affects ongoing questioning, not the initial trigger itself.