The new Criminal Procedure Law stipulates that from the beginning of the investigation stage, criminal suspects can hire lawyers as defenders. The specific work content of lawyers is briefly described as follows:
1. Go to the detention center to meet with the criminal. Suspect, this is the basic job of a criminal lawyer.
2. Provide legal knowledge to criminal suspects, such as the composition of crimes, criminal law provisions, surrender, meritorious service provisions, case handling procedures of public security organs, how to deal with possible threats from the police, and even torture to extract confessions, etc.
3. Learn about the case from the case-handling agency, express the lawyer’s opinion, convey the suspect’s case details (including innocence or misdemeanor), and advise the police not to request arrest and withdraw the case.
4. Provide opinions on filing the case to the procuratorate, recommend that the procuratorate supervise the filing of the case, and recommend that the procuratorate not approve the arrest. During the review and prosecution, it is recommended that the procuratorate not prosecute on the grounds of insufficient evidence and unclear facts, and apply to the procuratorate to obtain favorable evidence that proves the defendant's innocence, minor crime, meritorious service, etc.
5. Complaints and accusations in the name of human rights violations.
6. Apply for bail pending trial for the defendant.
7. Investigate and collect evidence during the prosecution and trial stages.
8. Appear in court to defend, mainly defending innocence and misdemeanor, and putting forward lawyer’s sentencing suggestions in response to the prosecutor’s sentencing opinions.
9. Appear in court to defend.