Arrest, Search, Seizure, Warrant Can police ask?

[pcfcnw]

Can a police officer come to your house and just start asking questions? If they ask for a person by name and you tell the officer there is no one there by that name, can they ask you who you are and what your birthdate is? And ask other questions like who lives there, are they married, etc?

And what if you don't answer with all correct info?

 

[NYClex]

They can ask you any question they want. But you don't have to answer. On the other hand, if you lie to them, you can get into trouble.

 

[pcfcnw]

what kind of trouble for inaccurate answers?

 

[skinnykid]

Slam the door in their face and don't answer anything. Or tell them hold on and that you want to get your lawyer on the phone before you answer this and ask them to wait outside as you do so, even if the question is "how do you like your eggs?".

 

[NYClex]

what kind of trouble for inaccurate answers?

Very serious trouble. Example:

Your best buddy Jim just raped a 10 year old kid in his house and now hides in his brother's garage. You know where he is.

Cops come to your door and ask if you know where Jim is. You don't answer them at all. Nothing they can do.

You answer: Oh, he is in Virginia visiting his sick auntie Muriel.
You are in trouble: you might be charged with obstruction of justice, even with being an accessory after the fact to rape of a minor.