What does it mean if a police officer reads you your rights?

Answer 1

Note, please, that this answer specifically applies to the United States. Legal procedures in other countries are different, sometimes very different; the rights you have there, if any, may be very different as well, and police departments there may not routinely read out your rights at all. Don't assume.

The Supreme Court, in the case Miranda v. Arizona, did not prescribe a particular wording, so it varies from location to location. The ruling in that case states that:

The person in custody must, prior to interrogation, be clearly informed that he/she has the right to remain silent, and that anything the person says will be used against that person in court; the person must be clearly informed that he/she has the right to consult with an attorney and to have that attorney present during questioning, and that, if he/she is indigent, an attorney will be provided at no cost to represent him/her. Because most movies and TV shows are made in either New York or California, most people are most familar with the warning as it is commonly given in one or the other of those states, but a slight variation in the wording does not render a Miranda warning invalid as long as it adequately conveys the rights listed above.

Some states have a slightly different method of providing attorneys, and in those states the warning may contain a phrase like "We have no way of giving you a lawyer, but one will be appointed for you if you wish when you go to court." The US Supreme Court has approved this variant as an accurate statement of the procedure in those states.

In some states (notably those along the border with Mexico) an additional clause along the lines of "If you are not a US citizen, you may contact your country's consulate prior to any questioning" is added.

Answer 2

There is no "Exact" way of saying the Miranda Warning. The warning differs state-to-state and department-to-department.

Generally, you'll hear something similar to this:

• You have the right to remain silent.
• Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.
• You have the right to hire an attorney.
• If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.
• Do you understand your rights as I have presented them to you?

Answer 3

Nothing more or less than you are informed of your rights. There is no reason NOT to tell anyone their rights.