Supreme Court rules to protect police from lawsuits over violating Miranda rights

Law enforcement officers who fail to provide criminal suspects with Miranda warnings prior to questioning cannot be subjected to civil lawsuits for their omissions, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.

Justices determined by a 6-3 vote that receiving Miranda warnings — which notify individuals taken into custody of their rights to remain silent, speak with an attorney and ask for that attorney to be present during interactions with police — is not technically a protected constitutional right. 

The court's classification means that individuals deprived of their Miranda warnings before criminal interrogations take place will not have a foundation to bring legal claims that allege their civil rights were violated after the fact. It effectively protects police officers against civil litigation while also limiting individual protections against self-incrimination.