Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (NVCJA) Practice Exam

True or False: Spontaneous statements made by suspects are admissible without Miranda warnings.

1. True

2. False

3. Only if they confess

4. Only if they ask for a lawyer first

The correct answer is: True

Spontaneous statements made by suspects can be admissible in court without the need for Miranda warnings because these statements are considered voluntary and not the result of interrogation. When an individual makes a remark without prompting from law enforcement, it falls under the exception to the rule established by Miranda v. Arizona, which requires that individuals in custody be informed of their rights prior to being interrogated. Since spontaneous statements are not the product of police questioning, they do not trigger the requirement for Miranda warnings, thus making such statements admissible in a court of law. In context, the other options do not accurately characterize the legal framework surrounding spontaneous statements. The requirement for confession or asking for a lawyer first does not apply in this scenario, as these conditions pertain specifically to custodial interrogation situations rather than unsolicited remarks made by the suspect.