SFST Legal Standards 3

Question 1

Under Miranda v. Arizona, when must an officer administer Miranda warnings to a DUI suspect?

Accepted Answer

Before custodial interrogation

Answer

Miranda warnings are required only when a suspect is in custody and subject to interrogation.

Question 2

The exclusionary rule in DUI cases primarily serves to:

Accepted Answer

Deter police misconduct by suppressing unlawfully obtained evidence

Answer

The exclusionary rule deters Fourth Amendment violations by prohibiting the use of illegally obtained evidence at trial.

Question 3

Which of the following best describes 'fruit of the poisonous tree' doctrine in a DUI context?

Accepted Answer

BAC results obtained after an unlawful stop may be suppressed

Answer

Evidence derived from an unconstitutional stop — including BAC results — can be suppressed as fruit of the poisonous tree.

Question 4

In Birchfield v. North Dakota (2016), the Supreme Court held that:

Accepted Answer

Breath tests incident to a lawful DUI arrest do not require a warrant

Answer

Birchfield held that breath tests are permissible as a search incident to lawful arrest, but blood draws require a warrant absent exigency.

Question 5

What is the legal significance of the NHTSA-standardized administration of SFSTs?

Accepted Answer

Deviations from NHTSA protocol can reduce the weight of SFST evidence but do not always require suppression

Answer

Courts generally allow SFST evidence even with minor deviations, but significant departures from NHTSA protocol can affect its evidentiary weight.

(SFST) Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Certified Practice Test