A compulsory production of a party's private books and records to be used against himself or his property in a criminal or penal proceeding or a forfeiture is within the spirit or meaning of the amendment."

Boyd versus United States 116 United States Supreme Court decision 616.

The courts, however, ladies and gentlemen, have found a minor Fifth Amendment loophole.

If the citizen takes a blanket fifth, meaning that they say in advance that they want to plead

the fifth to every question before it is asked, the judge can overrule the Fifth Amendment

plea on the grounds that the defendant didn't know what the questions

were going to be.

Prosecutors have entrapped citizens in the past by asking them if they wanted to exercise

a blanket fifth.

An enlightened citizen answers by saying,

I can't.

I don't know what your questions will be.

Then this patriotic citizen just answers each question separately

by stating his or her rights in the same manner he or she did with the agent.

Further, Miranda versus the United States, 424 United States Supreme Court decision 648,

states that, quote, the Fifth Amendment provision that the individual cannot be compelled to be a witness against himself cannot be abridged.

Unquote.

The information revealed in the preparation and filing of an income tax return is, for Fifth Amendment analysis, the testimony of a witness, as that term is used here in, unquote, Garner versus the United States

1976.

Quote, there can be no question that one who files a return under oath is a witness within the meaning of the amendment."

Sullivan versus United States 274 United States Supreme Court decision 259.

The United States Supreme Court decision 259.

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