--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don’t Plead the Fifth" description: "\"“Don’t Plead the Fifth”\" — James Duane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/james-duane-12142_quote_don-t-plead-the-fifth-1497026_1497026.jpg" --- # Don’t Plead the Fifth ![“Don’t Plead the Fifth” quote by James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/james-duane-12142_quote_don-t-plead-the-fifth-1497026_1497026.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/james-duane-12142_quote_don-t-plead-the-fifth-1497026_1497026.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/james-duane-12142_quote_don-t-plead-the-fifth-1497026_1497026.jpg) > ““Don’t Plead the Fifth”” [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An admonition against invoking the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions. **In simple terms:** Don’t use the Fifth to dodge queries. Key Takeaway Answer honestly, avoid legal loopholes. Themes law rights accountability Mood critical serious Type legal ethical When to use this quote - court testimony - political interviews - investigations Key Concepts legal strategy constitutional law ethics Questions to Reflect On - When is invoking the Fifth justified? - What are the consequences of refusing to answer? A Different Perspective May be used to intimidate witnesses. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“I plead the fifth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaci-burton/i-plead-the-fifth/) [Jaci Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaci-burton/) > [“I think I'd better plead the fifth." "Isn't that an admission of guilt, Detective?" "Legally, it's a neutral position." "Oh, but it's morally damning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-dahl/i-think-i-d-better-plead-the-fifth-isn-t-that-an-admission-of-guilt/) [Victoria Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-dahl/) > [“I don’t give a shit what happens, I want you to stonewall it, let them plead the Fifth Amendment, or anything else, if it’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/i-don-t-give-a-shit-what-happens-i-want-you-to-stonewall-it-let-them/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“PLEAD THE SIXTH”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/plead-the-sixth/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [Ill plead no more! I see now your spirit twists around the single error of my life, and I will never tear it free!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-proctor/ill-plead-no-more-i-see-now-your-spirit-twists-around-the-single/) [John Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-proctor/) > [“As soon as the rocky coast line of the island came into view, I ordered one of the ropes to wrap around Annabeth's waist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/as-soon-as-the-rocky-coast-line-of-the-island-came-into-view-i/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [If my jeans could talk, they'd plead for mercy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/if-my-jeans-could-talk-they-d-plead-for-mercy/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [We've backed off in good faith to try and give you a chance to straighten this problem out. But I am going to beg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/we-ve-backed-off-in-good-faith-to-try-and-give-you-a-chance-to/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [“We should plead not guilty by reason of inanity…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/we-should-plead-not-guilty-by-reason-of-inanity/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [“My dear sir,’ said Emily, timidly, ‘what mean those tears?’—they speak, I fear, another language—they plead for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-radcliffe/my-dear-sir-said-emily-timidly-what-mean-those-tears-they-speak-i/) [Ann Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-radcliffe/) > [“I would plead into the darkness, where are they, bring them back”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonali-deraniyagala/i-would-plead-into-the-darkness-where-are-they-bring-them-back/) [Sonali Deraniyagala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonali-deraniyagala/) > [In reply, I can only plead that a discovery which seems to contradict the general tenor of previous investigations is naturally received with much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lyell/in-reply-i-can-only-plead-that-a-discovery-which-seems-to-contradict/) [Charles Lyell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lyell/) > [“If you tell me no, I will be silent. If you prefer, I shall never ask again. But you should know that I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-charles/if-you-tell-me-no-i-will-be-silent-if-you-prefer-i-shall-never-ask/) [K.J. Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-charles/) > [“CHORUS: What canst thou plead? OEDIPUS: A plea of justice. CHORUS: How? OEDIPUS: I slew who else would me have slain; I slew without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/chorus-what-canst-thou-plead-oedipus-a-plea-of-justice-chorus-how/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [A man's intentions should be allowed in some respects to plead for his actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/a-man-s-intentions-should-be-allowed-in-some-respects-to-plead-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## More by James Duane > [“And after Salinas, as we have seen, that means that you cannot simply remain mute in the face of police questioning, but rather must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/and-after-salinas-as-we-have-seen-that-means-that-you-cannot-simply/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“Memorize these two questions so you will not be tempted to answer any others:   Who are you? What are you doing right here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/memorize-these-two-questions-so-you-will-not-be-tempted-to-answer-any/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“If you give the police information that turns out to be inaccurate, and the police mistakenly believe that you were lying to them on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/if-you-give-the-police-information-that-turns-out-to-be-inaccurate/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“As we can see from all these cases, a promise from the police to give you “help” is the most useless and worthless promise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/as-we-can-see-from-all-these-cases-a-promise-from-the-police-to-give/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“In every one of these cases, the police ignored the suspect’s tentative and mealymouthed expressions of interest in a lawyer, persisted in their questioning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/in-every-one-of-these-cases-the-police-ignored-the-suspect-s/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“Because of the matrix of rampant horrors often described as overcriminalization, it is no longer possible for you to rely on your own conscience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/because-of-the-matrix-of-rampant-horrors-often-described-as/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“The Supreme Court justices are able to decide fewer than 1 percent of all the appeals”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/the-supreme-court-justices-are-able-to-decide-fewer-than-1-percent-of/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“I told her to send the agent a letter, explaining that she would be happy to consider answering any questions he might have, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/i-told-her-to-send-the-agent-a-letter-explaining-that-she-would-be/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“If you simply say nothing in the face of police questions, unless you are in custody and under arrest, your silence can and will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/if-you-simply-say-nothing-in-the-face-of-police-questions-unless-you/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“Instead mention your Sixth Amendment right to a lawyer, and tell the police that you want a lawyer. 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This means that after they have come to a conclusion, especially if it is a conclusion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/powerful-phenomenon-that-psychologists-call-confirmation-bias-this/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“the police are only doing what they were trained to do, and what they are constantly encouraged to do by the courts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/the-police-are-only-doing-what-they-were-trained-to-do-and-what-they/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“As we will see, there are many different ways that the mere act of talking to the police can get you in a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/as-we-will-see-there-are-many-different-ways-that-the-mere-act-of/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) > [“You can also go to prison for up to six months for the unauthorized use of the character or the name Woodsy Owl for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/you-can-also-go-to-prison-for-up-to-six-months-for-the-unauthorized/) [James Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) [Explore all 56 James Duane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/) ## More Fifth quotes > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love making movies, and being in any that I can be in. I'd like to be in those giant movies, as the fifth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/i-love-making-movies-and-being-in-any-that-i-can-be-in-i-d-like-to-be/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I am an optimist, and I believe that people are inherently good and that if you give everyone a voice and freedom of expression,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/i-am-an-optimist-and-i-believe-that-people-are-inherently-good-and/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/) > [You could sometimes see her twelfth year in her cheeks, or her ninth sparkling from her eyes; and even her fifth would flit over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/you-could-sometimes-see-her-twelfth-year-in-her-cheeks-or-her-ninth/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [I feel when you walk into somebody's apartment on Fifth Avenue or house in Malibu and you see a Basquiat, a Warhol, a Richard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-pigozzi/i-feel-when-you-walk-into-somebody-s-apartment-on-fifth-avenue-or/) [Jean Pigozzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-pigozzi/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Everybody either wanted to take care of me or push me around, you know? I was teased a lot, sure I was, of course.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hunt/everybody-either-wanted-to-take-care-of-me-or-push-me-around-you-know/) [Linda Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hunt/) > [I've been home-schooled since I was in the fifth grade, mainly because I had two brothers who were acting. We were from Kansas but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-schmidt/i-ve-been-home-schooled-since-i-was-in-the-fifth-grade-mainly-because/) [Kevin Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-schmidt/) > [By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/by-their-victory-the-3rd-4th-and-5th-marine-divisions-and-other-units/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [A man snatches the first kiss, pleads for the second, demands the third, takes the fourth, accepts the fifth - and endures all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/a-man-snatches-the-first-kiss-pleads-for-the-second-demands-the-third/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) > [But the ear, let us not forget, starts operating on the forty-fifth day of the pregnancy of a woman. Seven and a half months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-barenboim/but-the-ear-let-us-not-forget-starts-operating-on-the-forty-fifth-day/) [Daniel Barenboim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-barenboim/) > [If you don't want to be a victim, don't act like one." It was fairly safe to assume that that was the first time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/if-you-don-t-want-to-be-a-victim-don-t-act-like-one-it-was-fairly/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [I'm trying to broaden the scope of positive psychology well beyond the smiley face. Happiness is just one-fifth of what human beings choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-m-trying-to-broaden-the-scope-of-positive-psychology-well-beyond/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I got into therapy in the fifth grade because I said in a sarcastic way that I was going to kill myself, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/i-got-into-therapy-in-the-fifth-grade-because-i-said-in-a-sarcastic/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [A violin is tuned to a fifth. But a guitar is tuned to a fourth with a one-third middle. It is very perplexing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/a-violin-is-tuned-to-a-fifth-but-a-guitar-is-tuned-to-a-fourth-with-a/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) Browse all 586 Fifth quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Don’t Plead the Fifth”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Duane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/don-t-plead-the-fifth/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fifth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/don-t-plead-the-fifth/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/james-duane-12142_quote_don-t-plead-the-fifth-1497026_1497026.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/james-duane-12142_quote_don-t-plead-the-fifth-1497026_1497026.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/james-duane-12142_quote_don-t-plead-the-fifth-1497026_1497026.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don’t Plead the Fifth” — James Duane", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Duane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-duane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Don’t Plead the Fifth”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/don-t-plead-the-fifth/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-duane/don-t-plead-the-fifth/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```