If a child has been arrested for a ClassA misdemeanor and asks for his parents while being questioned, can the policerefuse to contact them?
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If a child has been arrested for a ClassA misdemeanor and asks for his parents while being questioned, can the policerefuse to contact them?
Asked on October 24, 2011 under Criminal Law, Tennessee
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If a minor has been stopped by law enforcement for an alleged crime and the minor asks law enforcement that his parents need to be contacted first, law enforcement is under no obligation to let the minor speak with his or her parents prior to questioning.
In the situation that you are writing about, law enforcement has the obligation to perform a thorough and speedy investigation given the circumstances for the stop. To have to wait for the minor's parents to show up at the site where the stop has happened would impede the role of law enforcement.
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