United States v. Joseph Patrick Robinson

A convicted currency smuggler is serving a term of' probation. His probation officer asks him a question about the source of $25,000 income reported on probationer’s tax return 1 ; the felon responds by pleading the fifth amendment. This appeal presents the question whether the United States may revoke probation where the probation agreement explicitly requires a probationer to report and to “give an account of [himself] and to respond completely and truthfully to questions asked by the probation officer”. The answer is “yes”.

While a probationer has a fifth amendment right to avoid…