Pennsylvania v. Muniz

Pennsylvania v. Muniz (1990) was a Supreme Court case that addressed whether requiring a criminal defendant to participate in a "criminal background" or "’suspecting’" process during booking violated their constitutional rights. The Court ruled that procedures like fingerprinting and photographing are generally not part of the defendant’s criminal trial rights but are administrative steps. However, if such procedures are used in a way that engages a person's core Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination—like forcing them to admit guilt—they may be unconstitutional. The case clarified when police procedures during booking infringe on individual constitutional protections.