Beat the Heat: How to Handle Encounters with Law Enforcement

Know your rights and exercise them.
Saying the right thing during an encounter with the police can mean the difference between going home and going to jail. Beat the Heat gives you a set of easy-to-remember legal tactics for protecting yourself and the people you care about. Written by a Harvard-trained criminal defense lawyer, this illustrated street law manual teaches you exactly what to say if you're pulled over, how to read a search warrant, what you should know about undercover cops and informants, how to handle police questioning, what to tell the judge to get your bail reduced, how to get the best work out of your public defender or private attorney, etc., etc. Reading this book is like getting a one-on-one coaching session with your lawyer. It's written in plain English and comes with sample documents (including warrants and subpoenas), so you can learn how to deal with them before trouble's at your door. There are special sections for minors and non-US citizens, as well as a chapter on suing the police. The best part is the numerous cartoon sequences, which demonstrate how cops manipulate people they're questioning or searching—and what techniques you need to win this game. Now in a new, revised second printing. Author Katya Komisaruk was admitted to Harvard Law School while serving a five-year prison sentence. She graduated with honors in 1993 and is currently a criminal defense lawyer in Oakland, California.