Legal basis: Article 35 of the Lawyers Law of People's Republic of China (PRC). According to the needs of the case, the entrusted lawyer may apply to the people's procuratorate or the people's court for collecting and obtaining evidence or to the people's court for notifying witnesses to testify in court. If a lawyer investigates and collects evidence by himself, he may, with the lawyer's practice certificate and the certificate of the law firm, investigate the situation related to undertaking legal affairs with the relevant units or individuals.
Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China
Article 40 From the date when the people's procuratorate examines and prosecutes a case, the defense lawyer may consult, extract and copy the case file. Other defenders may also consult, extract and copy the above materials with the permission of the people's court or the people's procuratorate.
Article 43 With the consent of witnesses or other relevant units and individuals, defense lawyers may collect materials related to this case from them, or apply to the people's procuratorate or the people's court to collect and obtain evidence, or apply to the people's court to notify witnesses to testify in court. With the permission of the people's procuratorate or the people's court, and with the consent of the victim or his close relatives or witnesses provided by the victim, the defense lawyer may collect materials related to the case from them.