Know your rights: free guides

Your phone holds your life. The Supreme Court has said police generally need a warrant to search it.

Last reviewed October 6, 2026

A traffic stop is the most common police encounter. Here is what you must do, what you can decline, and how to protect yourself.

Last reviewed October 6, 2026

Whether you have to identify yourself depends on the kind of encounter and the state you are in. Here is how to tell the difference.

Last reviewed October 6, 2026

Recording police officers doing their jobs in public is protected by the First Amendment in most of the United States. Here is what that protection covers and where its limits are.

Last reviewed October 6, 2026

Body camera video is often the most important record of a police encounter. Here is how to request it and what to expect.

Last reviewed October 7, 2026

California now requires release of records on serious uses of force and many types of officer misconduct.

Last reviewed September 29, 2026

Colorado treats police records differently from other government records. Knowing which law applies is the first step.

Last reviewed September 29, 2026

Florida has one of the strongest public records laws in the country. Anyone can ask, for any reason, and you do not have to explain why.

Last reviewed September 29, 2026

New York opened police disciplinary files to the public in 2020. FOIL is the tool that gets them.

Last reviewed September 29, 2026

Texas has a built-in referee: the Attorney General decides most disputes over withheld records.

Last reviewed September 29, 2026

Filing a complaint creates an official record and starts an internal review. Here is how to do it well.

Last reviewed October 6, 2026

First Amendment auditors film public officials and buildings to test whether employees respect the right to record. Here is how it works and how to do it responsibly.

Last reviewed October 6, 2026

Qualified immunity protects officers from many lawsuits, but not all of them. Here is when it fails, and why that matters to you.

Last reviewed October 6, 2026