http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071003114409AAOBi8n
First, what the United States Supreme Court said. What the United States Supreme Court held in Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial Dist. Court (2004) 542 U.S. 177, was that a state could make it a crime for a person to refuse to identify himself (i.e., tell the officer his name and address) when lawfully detained for criminal activity. Note that the Supreme Court did NOT say that any kind of identification papers could be required, nor did they say that police officers could ordinarily arrest someone for refusing to identify himself absent a state law permitting that arrest. There is no law in the United States requiring everybody to carry ID, at least not yet.
There is NO law in California requiring anybody to carry identification. There is no law making it illegal for anyone (even someone lawfully detained) to fail to have identification papers or to refuse to identify himself (there was such a law, which was declared unconstitutional). Thus, Hiibel is of no effect in California, since there is no comparable law there. (It is, however, a crime to give a FALSE identification.)
A person CANNOT be arrested just for failing to identify himself or failing to have ID, even with a lawful detention. It is NOT interfering with an officer. The only effect of not having ID occurs if a police officer has probable cause to believe an arrestee has committed a criminal offense. A police officer who could otherwise give an arrestee a citation to appear would instead take the person into custody to appear before a magistrate. But this is ONLY if the officer has probable cause to believe the person has committed a crime--NOT just because the person did not have ID.
Of course, one must have identification in his or her possession when driving, and a police officer obviously can demand to see a drivers license from any driver lawfully detained.
1 year ago
Source(s):
30+ years as a criminal defense attorney
The highlighted section above is not correct. As a police officer, I can lawfully detain a person based on reasonable suspicion. This is short of the probable cause I would need to arrest that person for a crime. While investigating this suspicious circumstance to possibly later develop the probable cause needed to charge this person with a crime, it is necessary for me to identify the person before I release them to continue with my investigation. If that person were to refuse to identify themselves to my satisfaction, I would have probable cause to believe they were delaying my investigation and would be subject to arrest per 148(a)(1) P.C. So by failing to identify themselves to me during a lawful detention this person would go to jail without probable cause for a separate crime being a factor. That person would not get out of jail until they were identified. How is that for a law?
148(a)(1) P.C. Every person who willfully resists, delays, or
obstructs any public officer, peace officer, or an emergency medical
technician, as defined in Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 1797)
of the Health and Safety Code, in the discharge or attempt to
discharge any duty of his or her office or employment, when no other
punishment is prescribed, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding
one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail
not to exceed one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
Furthermore, the reference above about a former law found to be unconstitutional did NOT involve a lawful detention by police as gixxerjoeca stated above. That unconstituional law had required people to identify themselves to police without a lawful detention, when they were wandering about with no apparent reason and the police felt they needed to be identified.
There, fixed it for ya...The highlighted section above is not correct. As a police officer, I can unlawfully detain a person based on my own mood. This is short of the probable cause I would need to arrest that person for a crime. While investigating this suspicious circumstance to possibly later develop the probable cause needed to charge this person with a crime, it is necessary for me to identify the person before I release them to continue with my investigation. If that person were to refuse to identify themselves to my satisfaction, I would have probable cause to believe they were delaying my investigation and would be subject to arrest per 148(a)(1) P.C. So by failing to identify themselves to me during a lawful detention this person would go to jail without probable cause for a separate crime being a factor. That person would not get out of jail until they were identified. How is that for a law?
148(a)(1) P.C. Every person who willfully resists, delays, or
obstructs any public officer, peace officer, or an emergency medical
technician, as defined in Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 1797)
of the Health and Safety Code, in the discharge or attempt to
discharge any duty of his or her office or employment, when no other
punishment is prescribed, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding
one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail
not to exceed one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
Furthermore, the reference above about a former law found to be unconstitutional did NOT involve a lawful detention by police as gixxerjoeca stated above. That unconstituional law had required people to identify themselves to police without a lawful detention, when they were wandering about with no apparent reason and the police felt they needed to be identified.
Where's the "not this shit again" poster when you need it. Rather than write endless paragraphs, I'll just link to an old thread on the topic. Just remember that bojangle can spout 148(a)(1) PC all he wants, but just look up cases where police arrested defendants on that charge for not providing ID during a reasonable suspicion stop. I dare you to find any case where the DA pressed charges and won.
And...fixed another one. You guys are a tough crowd...Whether or not the DA charges or gets a conviction is irrelevant. No one is arguing whether it's a solid case or not. He's just arguing that it's not a violation of civil rights like all you "Americans" are spouting. Get learnt, dude.

Whether or not the DA charges or gets a conviction is irrelevant. No one is arguing whether it's a solid case or not. He's just arguing that it's not a violation of civil rights like all you "civil rights activists" are spouting. Get learnt, dude.
Sorry for the mistake. I'm just an un-American fascist hoping to turn this country into a military state.

Actually, it's very relevant. One of the classic examples of civil rights violations has been police using bogus charges to inconvenience and intimidate people. And if you still really think that it isn't a civil rights violation, can you explain to me why the situations where you must provide identification (be it verbal, printed, whatever) like being arrested or driving are explicitly spelled out in law but this situation isn't?
Okay, so I have to have my license with me when I'm driving. Duh.
I plan to walk to the park later with my kids. I will likely not have my license, wallet, or any other identifying information with me. If I am assaulted and knocked out by some random drunk then so be it. If I am asked to identify myself by a police officer, I will likely do so, but I do not believe I am violating any law by not having ID on my person while in public.
Where's the "not this shit again" poster when you need it. Rather than write endless paragraphs, I'll just link to an old thread on the topic. Just remember that bojangle can spout 148(a)(1) PC all he wants, but just look up cases where police arrested defendants on that charge for not providing ID during a reasonable suspicion stop. I dare you to find any case where the DA pressed charges and won.
The only thing I will add to your comment is that it is really irrelevant whether or not the DA files charges or gets a conviction. Check Nick's post for an education on the different standards for arrest and conviction under the law. The whole point is that the person will be identified in the end, which is all the officer lawfully requested him to do in the first place. :|There, fixed it for ya...
You're always supposed to have your ID on you when in public.
Not pertinent to requests for ID, but this could have a bearing on your paranoia statement above:
<snip>
<snip>

So the police served a search warrant operating on information that a father reported his daughter being held captive in a drug house and did a building search of said house and this is evidence of police corruption?
(yup, I can use that smiley too!
)Gotcha. I don't really remember watching the video, as I was awake waaaaay before my alarm/body was ready.
