Can I hire a lawyer during the investigation?

Yes, you can. Lawyers have an independent legal status in criminal proceedings, enjoy certain independent litigation rights, and play an important role in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the parties and ensuring the correct handling of cases. Therefore, criminal suspects can hire lawyers as defenders from the time when the people's procuratorate examines and prosecutes the case. In addition to hiring defenders, criminal suspects can also hire lawyers to provide legal aid in the investigation stage.

legal ground

Article 36 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure of the People's Procuratorate (Trial)

When the investigation department of the people's procuratorate begins to interrogate a criminal suspect or take compulsory measures against him for the first time, it shall inform the criminal suspect that he has the right to entrust a defender, and inform him that if he fails to hire a defender due to economic difficulties or other reasons, he may apply for legal aid. In the circumstances stipulated in Article 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law, the criminal suspect shall be informed of his right to legal aid. Within three days after the people's procuratorate receives the case materials transferred for examination and prosecution, the public prosecution department shall inform the criminal suspect that he has the right to entrust a defender, and inform him that if he fails to hire a defender due to financial difficulties or other reasons, he may apply for legal aid. In the circumstances stipulated in Article 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law, the criminal suspect shall be informed of his right to legal aid. The notice can be oral or written. The oral notice shall be recorded in the record and signed by the notified person; If written notice is given, the service receipt shall be entered into the volume.