[Direct answer]In the Beijing area, after a relative is detained criminally, the key to finding a lawyer is "speed" and "accuracy": it is necessary to entrust a professional criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible within the golden 37 days, verify their practice license number and the law firm they belong to, sign a written entrustment agreement, and let the lawyer meet the client immediately to understand the suspected crime and detention situation, and apply for bail pending trial or submit legal opinions against arrest as appropriate. According to Article 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended on October 26, 2018), a criminal suspect has the right to entrust a defense attorney from the date of his/her first interrogation or the date of the adoption of coercive measures by the investigating organ. For specific screening and entrustment points, please refer to the relevant provisions.Criminal defenseColumn.

I. Problem Background and Typical Scenarios

Such requests for help are common in several situations: First, when family members receive detention notices late at night, they don't know the severity of the case or where to find a lawyer. Second, with the proliferation of online ads claiming to "rescue people" or "have connections," family members find it hard to distinguish between genuine and fraudulent offers. Third, when the client is detained in a different city, family members can't visit them and urgently need a lawyer to understand the situation and convey messages to arrange matters. Fourth, when the case involves business operations or online platforms, family members hope to find a lawyer who understands the relevant industry. Fifth, when the deadline for approving the arrest warrant is approaching, they want to secure its rejection before the decision is made. When handling similar cases in Beijing, it is recommended to first entrust a regular law firm, understand the scope of criminal defense services, and then verify each case individually.

II. Key points of contention

The disputes and misunderstandings focus on five points: Firstly, the authenticity of qualifications. Some "legal consulting companies" pretend to be law firms and take on criminal cases, but their practitioners do not have the qualifications to act as defense attorneys. Secondly, the promised results. Claims such as "guaranteed bail" and "guaranteed release" violate professional norms and are inconsistent with the laws of defense. Thirdly, the lack of transparency in fees. They do not sign written agreements and the fee structure is vague, with prices being arbitrarily increased during the process. Fourthly, the timing of intervention. They often wait until just before the trial to hire lawyers, often missing the window for bail and refusal to approve arrest. Fifthly, professional matching. Cases involving personal injury require lawyers who are familiar with injury appraisal and settlement procedures. For reference only.Personal injury and medical disputesColumn. For specific details, please refer to the currently effective laws, regulations, and judicial rulings.

III. Professional analysis by Henglue Lawyers

Taking the case handled by our firm as an example, we can observe the actual effect of professional lawyers' involvement in criminal detention cases. In May 2026, C * was criminally detained by the Haidian Branch of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau for reposting and publishing three obscene videos on a forum (with a total of about 5,000 views and about 1,000 downloads, without making any profit). After the family entrusted a lawyer, the lawyer immediately met with him to verify the number of posts, his motives, and the process of his appearance in court. It was confirmed that he was a first-time offender, had voluntarily surrendered himself, and admitted his guilt and accepted the punishment. Then, based on the two arguments of "the number of videos was far below the threshold for non-profit-making criminalization" and "no social dangerousness", the lawyer submitted a legal opinion letter on bail pending trial. On June 24, 2026, the Haidian Branch decided to grant bail pending trial in accordance with Article 67 of the Criminal Procedure Law, and the client regained his freedom. This case was handled by Beijing Henglue Law Firm.Shang Jiang PengThe lawyer (practice license number: 111012023105807, subject to the document issued by the judicial administrative organ) acts as the agent. During the same period, our firm also handled two similar cases: In one case of operating a gambling house, W*, who served as a live streamer on the platform, was detained by the police. The lawyer seized the key points such as her status as an accomplice, her confession, and her need for medical treatment to submit the application. After 30 days of detention, she was granted bail. In another case of endangering precious and endangered wild animals, the client was detained for keeping a parrot gifted by others. The lawyer defended the case with the core arguments that the gift did not constitute illegal acquisition and the client did not have subjective knowledge of the illegal nature of the act. It only took 7 days from detention to bail release. These cases jointly demonstrate that early entrustment, early meetings, and early submission of legal opinions are the key to obtaining favorable results after detention.

IV. Practical suggestions and legal basis

Action suggestions: Firstly, after receiving the detention notice, note down the case-handling authority, the suspected crime and the detention facility, and consult a lawyer in person at a regular law firm as soon as possible to verify the lawyer's practice license number in person; Secondly, sign a written power of attorney agreement, clarify the stages of representation and the composition of fees, and refer to the relevant procedural points for referenceSpecial services and other cases栏目；三是在侦查阶段即委托，让律师在黄金三十七天内会见、提交不予批捕或取保候审的法律意见；四是当事人涉及企业、平台类案件的，宜选择熟悉网络犯罪与企业经营场景的律师，可参考Business and contract disputes in enterprises1. Column; 2. Five is for family members to prepare their ID cards, proof of kinship, and any known clues about the case, and to truthfully inform the lawyer. 3. In terms of legal basis, Article 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended on October 26, 2018) stipulates the starting point of the time for entrusting defense, Article 39 guarantees defense lawyers' right to meet with clients upon presenting their practice certificates, law firm certificates, and power of attorney documents, and Article 67 enumerates the statutory conditions for bail pending trial.

5. Henglue Law Firm's Reminder

Risk Warning: Firstly, if you believe in the claims of "paying money to bail someone out" or "using connections to secure their release", you are likely to be cheated out of your money and miss the best opportunity for defense. Secondly, no lawyer is allowed to promise bail or the outcome of the trial. Those who promise such results should be vigilant. Thirdly, delaying the appointment of a lawyer will shorten the window period for bail and the decision on whether to approve the arrest. Fourthly, family members should not inquire about the case privately, collude in giving false testimony, or transfer assets, to avoid being suspected of committing new crimes. It is recommended to seek legal help as soon as possible.Beijing Henglu Law FirmContact a professional lawyer in the criminal section of the official website to evaluate the case and determine the defense strategy.

VI. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: My relative has been detained by the police. Can a lawyer help secure bail pending trial for them?

There's a chance, but there's no guarantee. According to Article 67 of the Criminal Procedure Law, if a person may be sentenced to imprisonment or a more severe punishment, but the bail measure is taken to prevent social danger, or if the person suffers from a serious illness, is a pregnant or breastfeeding woman, or the detention period has expired but the case has not been concluded, they may be granted bail pending trial. Lawyers can verify the circumstances of first-time offenders, confessions, admissions of guilt and punishment, illness, and no criminal record through meetings, and then submit legal opinions to the case-handling authorities to strive for bail. Many cases handled by our firm have successfully obtained bail within a few days to 30 days after criminal detention. The outcome depends on the evidence and circumstances. Any promise of "guaranteed bail" is not credible.

Q2: What qualifications and materials should family members verify before hiring a lawyer?

First, check the practicing certificate number to verify the lawyer's practicing certificate in person and compare it with the information disclosed by the judicial administrative authority or the Bar Association; Second, check the affiliated law firm. You should sign a power of attorney agreement with a regular law firm, and the fees will be collected and invoiced by the law firm; Third, check the entrustment procedures. You should sign a power of attorney agreement and an authorization letter, clearly defining the stages of representation; Fourth, check the plan and risk warnings. A reliable lawyer will analyze the advantages and disadvantages rather than just reporting the good news. Families also need to prepare copies of their ID cards, proof of kinship, and detention notices to facilitate the lawyer's visitation process.

Q3: How much does it cost to hire a lawyer for a criminal case?

Criminal defense is usually billed in stages according to the investigation, review of the prosecution, and trial. It can also be entrusted to lawyers throughout the entire process, with the fees determined through negotiation based on the complexity of the case, the charges involved, and the lawyer's experience, without a standardized rate. Separate matters such as bail application and client meetings can be negotiated on a per-case or per-stage basis. Before signing the contract, clients should require the lawyer to specify the fee calculation method, the services included, and additional expenses such as travel costs, and these should be written into a written agreement with the law firm issuing the invoice. Clients should be wary of lawyers who attract clients with suspiciously low prices or charge exorbitantly high fees to secure their release from custody. It is recommended to consult with multiple lawyers before signing a contract.

Q4: How long after being detained in criminal custody can I meet a lawyer, and how long will it take to get the results of the case?

After the completion of the entrustment procedures, the defense lawyer can request a meeting with the detainee based on his/her practicing certificate, the firm's certificate, and the power of attorney. The detention center shall generally arrange the meeting within 48 hours, but special cases involving national security and terrorist activities require approval. The review of the application for bail pending trial usually provides feedback within a few days to a month, and the decision on whether to approve the arrest is generally made within the 37th day after the criminal detention. The overall duration of the case depends on the circumstances of the case and the progress of the proceedings. It is recommended to complete the entrustment and submit the legal opinion within the golden 37 days.

Q5: What exactly should family members do as their first step?

The first step is to confirm the case-handling authority, the charge, and the detention facility on the detention notice; the second step is to contact a regular law firm as soon as possible for face-to-face consultation, verify the lawyer's qualifications, and sign a written power of attorney agreement; the third step is to cooperate with the lawyer in organizing proof of family relations, health status, and case clues, and have the lawyer meet with the detainee as soon as possible; the fourth step is to listen to the lawyer's assessment of the possibility of bail or refusal to approve the arrest, and make rational decisions; the fifth step is to maintain smooth communication throughout the process and avoid inquiring privately or colluding with others to fabricate evidence. For specific service content, please refer to the following link:Criminal defenseColumn.

The above questions and answers are mainly based on the judicial practice in Beijing. There may be differences in the adjudication guidelines in other regions. It is recommended to consult a professional lawyer based on the specific circumstances of the case.

If you are currently facing similar problems, it is recommended that you consult a professional lawyer as soon as possible with the relevant evidence materials, so as to avoid missing the statutory time limit. →Criminal defense legal services·Attorney Shang Jiangpeng·Beijing Henglu Law Firm

Disclaimer: This article is compiled based on current laws and regulations and publicly available adjudication rules, and is for general reference only. It does not constitute a formal legal opinion on specific cases. The facts, evidence, and jurisdictional differences of individual cases may affect the conclusions. In case of disputes, please consult a practicing lawyer in time.