Taking the fifth - sustany/dvg GitHub Wiki

�Taking the Fifth" or �pleading the Fifth� are colloquial terms used to refer to an individual�s decision to invoke their right against self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution. During questioning by government investigators, this entails exercising an individual�s right to remain silent. At trial, an individual may �invoke the Fifth� by declining to testify in their own defense, and the prosecution may not comment on such a decision. Moreover, a jury is prohibited from drawing an adverse inference. The protections enshrined in the Fifth Amendment apply to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.�

See also: Fifth Amendment