united-states
Can you be charged for obstruction for refusing to answer questions?
<p>In the following video; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrgVYPkkqX0" rel="noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrgVYPkkqX0</a></p>

<p>An individual is sitting in front of a home when a service call about a "suspicious" person/vehicle is made. The police respond and begin to ask the person a few questions which the person refuses to answer. The individual lets them know that he has a legal reason for being where he is. Unbeknownst to the cops, he is an insurance adjuster. They arrest him for "obstruction" for not answering questions.</p>

<p>Is it legal to arrest someone for obstruction for refusing to answer questions?</p>

<p>According to the <a href="https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/what-do-when-encountering-law-enforcement-questioning" rel="noreferrer">ACLU</a>, there are certain questions you have to answer when entering the US, and in some states you may have to identify yourself when stopped and told to identify yourself. Nonimmigrant non-citizen may be required to answer questions about immigrant status posed by an immigration officer.
Otherwise, you are not required to answer questions by police. A judge can order you to answer questions, but the police cannot. Also, "<a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/part-I/chapter-73" rel="noreferrer">obstruction of justice</a>" covers things such as destroying evidence, assaulting a process server, communicating with a juror, and can cover investigative demands by prosecutors, but not being uncooperative with police.</p>
