The Fifth Amendment protects criminal defendants and witnesses from being compelled to provide testimony that could incriminate themselves. The protection applies in federal and state courts, criminal and civil proceedings, and during police interrogations. In Miranda v. Arizona, the Supreme Court extended Fifth Amendment protections to any situation where law enforcement restricts personal freedom, requiring police to inform suspects of their right to remain silent and right to an attorney before questioning. A witness may "plead the Fifth" when answering could be self-incriminatory. The Court ruled in 2013 that merely staying silent isn''t enough—suspects must clearly and unambiguously assert their right to silence for police to stop questioning. The privilege prevents the government from forcing confessions or using someone''s own words against them, a cornerstone protection against coercive interrogation tactics.