24-hour emergency legal support

Search, Interview, and Detention Defense Attorneys

A search, a summons, an interview, or a detention hearing often happens before the charge is clear. We help accused persons and their families sort out the procedure and what to say at the start of the investigation.

Emergency Line: +886-975-150-919

Which situation is this?

Choose the closest situation to see what to do now, and what counsel can do.

Attending a search and preserving objections

Officers are at the door with a search warrant, or a search and seizure is underway.

Taken in, or told to appear

A writ to bring the person in, an arrest, or a notice to appear at a court, a district prosecutors office, a police station, or a precinct.

Accompanying an interview

Police questioning, a prosecutor’s examination, or an interview by the Investigation Bureau.

Detention and release

The prosecutor has requested detention, or a detention hearing is about to begin.

How we help at each stage

Attending a search and preserving objections

Officers are at the door with a search warrant, or a search and seizure is underway.

What to do now

Read the case description, the person to be searched, and the scope on the warrant. Note the start time and who is present. Do not hide or destroy evidence, and do not obstruct the search.

What counsel can do

Counsel can attend, check the warrant against what is actually searched, and record the process as a basis for a later objection or a request to exclude evidence.

Taken in, or told to appear

A writ to bring the person in, an arrest, or a notice to appear at a court, a district prosecutors office, a police station, or a precinct.

What to do now

Separate a writ to bring the person in, an arrest, and a notice to appear, and find out which agency has the person. A notice to appear usually leaves time to prepare. If the person has already been taken, write down the agency’s full name, address, and someone who can be reached.

What counsel can do

Counsel can assess whether to attend the statement, whether the person may remain silent, and which prosecutors office the case may be sent to.

Accompanying an interview

Police questioning, a prosecutor’s examination, or an interview by the Investigation Bureau.

What to do now

Read the agency’s full name, the time, and the place on the notice. Police questioning is often at a station or precinct. A prosecutor’s examination is at a district prosecutors office. The Investigation Bureau follows its own investigative procedure. The statements sit in different parts of the file.

What counsel can do

A suspect may retain defense counsel. Counsel may be present and state opinions during questioning when that does not obstruct the investigation, and can help sort out what to say and what to hold back before going in.

Detention and release

The prosecutor has requested detention, or a detention hearing is about to begin.

What to do now

After the person is brought in on a writ or arrested, they must be taken to a prosecutor within the statutory time. If the prosecutor requests detention, the court holds a hearing, often on very short notice. Tell the lawyer the court, the time, and the case number if you have it.

What counsel can do

At the hearing, counsel can address whether there is suspicion and whether detention is necessary, and can discuss release on bond, release to a custodian, or restriction of residence.

Three things family can do first

Find out where the person is: the agency’s full name and address, and whether it is a police station, a precinct, a district prosecutors office, or the Investigation Bureau.
Keep the papers. Photograph or copy the search warrant, the notice to appear, or the writ to bring the person in if you can. Do not press the person to sign a statement they do not understand before speaking with a lawyer.
Call the emergency line. Say where the person is and whether this is a search, a statement, or a detention request. A call, LINE message, or email is contact only. It is not a retainer.

Common questions

Should we call a lawyer now, or wait until prosecution?

A search, a written statement, and a detention hearing all happen before prosecution. What is said, and how the procedure is recorded, can affect the investigation. Contact a lawyer before the first interview if you can.

Can a lawyer refuse to let the police search?

No. A lawful search should be complied with. Counsel attends to check the warrant, the scope, and the procedure, and to preserve a basis for a later objection. This page cannot replace a judgment on a specific case.

How do the police, the prosecutor, and the Investigation Bureau differ?

Police questioning is often at a station or precinct. A prosecutor’s examination is at a district prosecutors office. The Investigation Bureau conducts its own investigative interviews. Use the agency named on the written notice.

Does a detention request mean the person will be held?

Not necessarily. The court may order detention, release on bond, release to a custodian, or restrict residence. The result depends on the evidence and whether detention is necessary in that case. We do not predict an outcome, and we do not treat past cases as a promise.

Does calling you mean a lawyer is already retained?

No. Contact is how we hear what is happening and whether we can accept the matter. Until a retainer is in place, there is no lawyer-client relationship.

If the person is still at the agency, call first

Tell us which agency, and whether this is a search, a statement, or a detention request. The emergency line can be reached 24 hours.

Emergency Line: +886-975-150-919