Number-one mistake people make when pulled over

Speaker 1
00;00;00;01 – 00;00;01;06
Hi, everyone.Today, we’re going to talk about the number
one mistake people make when they’re pulled over by law enforcement.
This is Christina Williams with Just Criminal Law.
Speaker 2
00;00;10;05 – 00;00;11;09
And David Mann, legal storytelling specialist.
What is this number one way?
Speaker 1
00;00;14;25 – 00;00;17;10
Well, what they do is they fail to quickly provide the documents
that the officer asked for. Now, we all know when the officer approaches your window,
he’s going to require you to give your license, registration and proof of insurance.
And your registration is that piece of paper that comes with your tags
that you get from the county when you renew your plates
and the officer is going to want to see that you’ve recently paid those
and they’re up to date and that your insurance is up to date and that you’re valid to drive.
They may even ask you for your rental car agreement.
Speaker 2
00;00;52;15 – 00;00;54;10
So on the insurance, it can either be a paper card or on your phone.
Is there a better one than the other?
Speaker 1
00;00;59;04 – 00;01;02;05
I always recommend have the documents printed hard copies so your registration
and your insurance in an envelope together in your center console so that you when you’re pulled over,
you can just open your console, grab those documents, get your license.
You might be a little bit nervous, but when the officers at your window,
you have them ready to hand to him.
Speaker 2
00;01;21;01 – 00;01;22;24
Okay. So it needs to be done quickly. What is the reason for this
needing to be fast?
Speaker 1
00;01;26;25 – 00;01;27;20
Well, the longer it takes the more the officer is going
to make small talk with you. And the small talk often leads one thing to another.
And if you don’t need to engage in that small talk, you can quickly get on your way
and you won’t have any more problems, say, than just a speeding ticket.
Speaker 2
00;01;45;20 – 00;01;46;21
So I think you had a client one time where this went very wrong
because she didn’t have the stuff ready and began to talk to the officer.
What was that story again?
Speaker 1
00;01;53;12 – 00;01;54;27
Well, she was pulled over. The officer came to her
window, wanted her documents. She couldn’t find the insurance on her phone.
So while she’s scrolling through her emails or whatever it is, when she’s looking at the officers
making small talk with her and flashing his light in the back of her vehicle,
he notices that there’s several duffel bags and some tools and, you know, starts to question
or says there’s been a string of burglaries in the county.
And I’m just curious is everything in the back of your car, in fact, yours?
So she, you know,feels the need to defend herself and she’s points out, Well, yes,
everything in the back of the car is mine.
My duffel bags have clothes that fit me. You know,
I can prove that that that the stuff in my car is mine.
And so the officer says, Oh, okay, well, do you mind if I look around your vehicle
to see if there’s any stolen items?
Well, she starts to backpedal and, you know,says, This is my boyfriend’s car.
I don’t know if I can give you consent.
Ultimately, the officer searches her vehicle.
She’s just trying to prove that the clothes in the bag fit her.
And he ends up looking in her center console and
sure enough, finds the marijuana.
So now she’s got significant more trouble
than just a speeding ticket. When, in fact,
what should be in the center console is just the license, registration
and proof of insurance.
Speaker 2
00;03;22;23 – 00;03;24;23
So if someone gets into, you know, a corner because they didn’t have that
and talked too much, they’re going to need to talk to you.
And how do they do that?
Speaker 1
00;03;30;26 – 00;03;32;21
We’ll include a link in the description where they can call, text
or chat with a member of my team, any time, day or night.
00;03;37;23 – 00;03;39;03
Here at Just Criminal Law,we know you only get one shot at Justice.
So make yours count.