Latest / San Antonio News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!
The Fifth Amendment Explained | San Antonio News
The Fifth Amendment, America’s shield against self-incrimination, isn’t just courtroom drama—it’s woven into daily speech and legal history. Rooted in English common law, it was enshrined in the Constitution to limit federal power and uphold the principle: you’re innocent until proven guilty, and the burden of proof belongs to the prosecution. While it protects defendants in criminal cases (where juries can’t assume guilt from silence), civil cases risk drawing negative inferences. From McCarthy-era witnesses to Donald Trump’s 2022 civil deposition, invoking the Fifth has sparked…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.