Legal Basis
Article 33 of the "Criminal Procedure Law"
From the day when a criminal suspect is first interrogated or takes compulsory measures by the investigative agency Starting from the beginning, the person has the right to entrust a defender; during the investigation, he can only entrust a lawyer to act as a defender. The defendant has the right to entrust a defender at any time. When interrogating a criminal suspect or taking compulsory measures against him or her for the first time, the investigation agency shall inform the criminal suspect of the right to entrust a defender. The People's Procuratorate shall, within three days from the date of receipt of case materials transferred for review and prosecution, inform the criminal suspect of the right to entrust a defender. The people's court shall inform the defendant of the right to entrust a defender within three days from the date of accepting the case. If criminal suspects or defendants request to entrust a defender while in custody, the people's court, people's procuratorate and public security organs shall promptly convey the request. While a criminal suspect or defendant is in custody, his or her guardian or close relative may also appoint a defender on his or her behalf. If a defender accepts the entrustment of a criminal suspect or defendant, he shall promptly notify the case-handling agency.