Berkemer v. McCarty

After observing the defendant’s car weave, a police officer stopped him and asked him to get out of the car. Noticing that the defendant was having difficulty standing, the officer concluded that he would arrest the defendant for drunk driving, though he did not communicate this intent to the defendant. The defendant failed field sobriety tests, whereupon the officer asked if he had been using intoxicants. The defendant replied that he had consumed two beers and had smoked marihuana a short time before. The officer formally arrested the defendant. At no time did the officer provide the defendant with Miranda warnings during this encounter.