John Guidry has practiced law in Florida for over 30 years. After so many criminal defense cases, the Orlando resident still wants his clients to walk free from illegitimate charges they land during traffic stops. The problem is, he laments, isn’t any substance in the car or DUI “justifications” the police officer comes up with. It starts with why drivers get pulled over in the first place.

Police officers always ask the same question during a traffic stop

“If the stop of your car was not legitimate, the criminal case they build later…people like me get that thrown out.”

The thing is, Guidry says, you can mess up his whole defense if you answer a simple question the police officer always asks. It typically happens right at the start of the interaction, when the officer approaches and you roll your car window down. “And I don’t want you to flub the answer.”

Guidry says that depending on how you respond matters. “It could screw your case later.”

Here’s the pop quiz: “Do you know why I pulled you over?”

That’s a pretty simple question. Guidry confirms that yeah, you might think of a response. “I was driving like an [expletive] when I was changing lanes without a blinker” or whatever. And sure…maybe sometimes you really don’t know.

But Guidry doesn’t care if you think you know why the police officer flagged you down.

“What I need you to do, please, is just tell the officer, ‘I don’t know why, would you tell me why you stopped me?’”

Remember your rights

Keep in mind that it’s the police officer’s responsibility to prove his own actions and reasonings. 

It’s completely within your right to remain silent or decline answering their questions about what you were doing, where you’re going, etc. Other insiders and experts recommend remaining polite and respectful the whole time, too.

Guidry explains that in cases where the initial stop isn’t legal, he might feel optimistic in getting it thrown out.

However, in some instances, he checks, say, the body cam footage of the interaction, and is horrified to find his client “confessing” to some action while the police officer never had enough evidence to charge them in the first place.

“I don’t want any admissions that you did anything wrong,” Guidry says. “Folks, just let them tell you why they did what they did. You don’t have to start admitting to the reason for the stop.”

The Floridian says his office is right next to the Orange County Courthouse, and the government “has everything” it needs to cripple his clients with legal pain. He remarks that certain judges are “already against” some drivers from the jump.

Of course, MotorBiscuit isn’t advocating folks “get away” with illegal driving behavior. But guessing why a police officer pulled you over is never an actual requirement of you during a traffic stop.