Reese Witherspoon's Arrest Video: A 'Legally Blonde' Analysis

By Brett Snider, Esq. on May 03, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Proving that the secret to becoming Elle Woods is not at the bottom of a Michelob Ultra bottle, Reese Witherspoon was caught on tape drunkenly arguing with an officer after her husband was pulled over for a DUI.

In video captured by the dash cam of a Georgia state trooper's cruiser and obtained by TMZ, the "Sweet Home Alabama" star was more than a little sour to law enforcement and made a number of notable legal claims whilst inebriated.

Here's the video, and a breakdown of how "legally blonde" each statement is:

REESE WITHERSPOON: "I'm an American citizen. I'm allowed to stand on American ground."

Yes, citizenship carries with it a number of rights and privileges, and one we often take for granted is the right to physically reside within the borders of the country.

Witherspoon is right, she can legally stay on American soil if she's a citizen, but that has little to do with how she acted.

REESE WITHERSPOON: "I'd like to know what's going on."

Officers aren't under any obligation to tell you your rights during a traffic stop, and reading Miranda warnings doesn't come up until an arrest is made.

However, you may always ask an officer if you are free to leave, which will force the officer to tell you if you're being detained or not. In Witherspoon's case, she was told to stay in the car.

REESE WITHERSPOON: "I'm allowed to ask any question I want to."

Everyone would like to know more from an officer when they're pulled over, but typically officers are under no obligation to answer your questions.

If you are worried about whether you have been pulled over by a real officer, you may ask politely to see the officer's photo ID and badge.

REESE WITHERSPOON: "I've done nothing against the law."

Although Witherspoon started the night without committing any crimes, her husband was the one pulled over on suspicion of DUI.

An officer may legally detain passengers in a traffic stop for a short period of time, even if he does not suspect they have committed a crime.

REESE WITHERSPOON: "I'm obstructing your justice..."

During a legal traffic stop, if you disobey an officer's instructions, you may be found guilty of obstructing a law enforcement officer, which is a misdemeanor in Georgia.

Unfortunately for Witherspoon, she was obstructing the officer's "justice" which was totally bleach-bottle legally blonde. For sure.

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