Miranda rights are an explanation of your Fifth Amendment right to protect yourself from self-incrimination. If a law enforcement officer fails to inform you of your Miranda warnings, several things can happen. Law enforcement officers are required to advise you of your Miranda rights during an arrest or when placed in custody with the purpose of interrogation. If you have asserted your constitutional rights to remain silent and retain legal counsel, then an officer is required by law to stop questioning you until you have spoken with your Knoxville federal criminal defense lawyer.

If you have responded to an officer's questions or have been interrogated when under arrest without being read your Miranda rights, a federal criminal defense lawyer can file a motion to suppress the evidence in court. This means that any evidence gathered against you after an officer's failure to inform you of your Miranda rights could be suppressed in court. This is an important element of a defense case, so consult a lawyer to ensure that your constitutional rights have not been violated.

Bail -- or bail bonds -- simply refers to an amount of money or property that is required by the court to release a person from jail. Bonds are used to guarantee that a person will return for all court dates. If a person fails to return to court on a mandatory date, his or her bail bond will be forfeited and a bench arrest warrant will be issued for his or her arrest. Bail can take the form of cash, property, or bail bond posting from a bail bond company.