Compelled Statements by Public Employees
Garrity Rights protect public employees from being compelled to incriminate themselves during investigatory interviews conducted by their employers.
This protection stems from the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which declares that the government cannot compel a person to be a witness against him/herself.
Imagine a situation in which a city clerk is suspected of stealing public funds. The clerk’s supervisor and personnel director call her in to investigate the situation. To what extent can they require her to answer questions?
The answer can be found in the concept of "Garrity Rights."
This protection stems from the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which declares that the government cannot compel a person to be a witness against him/herself.
Imagine a situation in which a city clerk is suspected of stealing public funds. The clerk’s supervisor and personnel director call her in to investigate the situation. To what extent can they require her to answer questions?
The answer can be found in the concept of "Garrity Rights."
What you will find on this Web site
- Garrity Basics contains what you need to know in order to understand Garrity Rights. Read about the original Garrity case, and find a clear, concise description of these important protections.
- FAQ is a section of Frequently Asked Questions. Garrity Rights are complicated, and the answers to many questions are not easily found without a detailed study of the case law. Look here for some help.
- Case Summaries is a section where you can find short descriptions of most of the key federal (and some state-level) cases relating to Garrity Rights.
- Resources is your gateway to the actual texts of major Garrity cases, as well as various articles on the topic. You can also download useful tools for understanding and enforcing your Garrity Rights.
- In the Blog, you will find commentary on new cases and developments relating to Garrity Rights.
- Training is where you can find information about arranging training programs on Garrity and other labor relations topics.
- Contact is where you go to find out more about the creator of this Web site and how to contact him with your feedback and questions, or to request a presentation or workshop.
www.garrityrights.org is a general service that provides information over the Internet. www.garrityrights.org does not provide any legal advice and those who contact Prof. Taylor or utilize the www.garrityrights.org website should consult with their own lawyer for legal advice. We are not a law firm and Prof. Taylor is not acting as your attorney. The information contained in the Site is general legal information and should not be construed as legal advice to be applied to any specific factual situation.
