Legal Basis
Article 34 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 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 for the first time, the investigative agency shall inform him 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, within three days from the date of accepting the case, notify the defendant of the right to entrust a defender. 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.
If a criminal suspect or defendant is in custody, his or her guardian or close relative may also entrust a defender.