[Direct answer]This is not credible, and we should be vigilant. According to Article 49 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Lawyers (adopted in 1996 and amended in 2017), lawyers are not allowed to violate regulations by meeting with judges, prosecutors, arbitrators, and other relevant staff members. They are also prohibited from bribing or inducing clients to bribe judges, prosecutors, arbitrators, and other relevant staff members. The Code of Conduct for Lawyers also explicitly prohibits lawyers from making promises about case outcomes. Those who promote "knowing a case handler," "having long-standing connections," or "definitely being able to get the client off the hook" are often doing so to secure clients' trust. However, whether the court will actually modify the coercive measures depends on legal conditions. The basic principle of criminal litigation is to base decisions on facts and abide by the law. What really matters is meeting with clients to understand the case, verifying evidence and circumstances, and providing legal defense opinions according to the law. Taking bail as an example, according to Articles 67 and 95 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended in 2018), the core is to exclude social danger item by item and demonstrate the necessity of continued detention. This relies on evidence and arguments, not personal connections.

I. Problem Background and Typical Scenarios

After a family member is detained criminally, the family is often in a state of extreme anxiety and is easily attracted by statements such as "we have connections", "we can bail out the person", and "we guarantee that the person will not be arrested". These statements usually have several characteristics: first, they emphasize the special relationship with the case-handling unit, then give clear promises of the outcome, and finally demand high fees without issuing formal invoices or signing standard power of attorney contracts; some also charge additional fees under the guise of "activity funds" and "coordination fees". The actual consequences are often that the fees are spent, the person is arrested, and even improper behavior may affect the handling of the case. In the Beijing area, the management of the legal profession is relatively standardized. Regular lawyers will not make promises about the outcome of the case, but will focus on work such as meeting with the client, reviewing the case file, and providing legal arguments.

II. Key points of contention

First, there is the issue of compliance with the promise of results. Laws and professional norms clearly prohibit lawyers from making promises about the outcome of cases or using personal connections as a selling point. Second, regarding the standardization of fees, formal lawyers' fees are collected and invoiced by law firms, and those who charge "coordination fees" separately should be vigilant. Third, the actual sources of defense effectiveness include meeting to verify the facts of the case, reviewing the legality of evidence, submitting applications for bail or review of the necessity of detention, and striving for mitigating circumstances. These are the factors that affect the outcome. Fourth, there is still room for action after approval of arrest. Many people mistakenly believe that there's "no hope" after approval of arrest, but in fact, it's still possible to apply for a review of the necessity of detention according to law. Fifth, there are risks for clients themselves. Trusting promises not only may lead to property losses, but also may affect the case due to improper requests for help.

III. Professional analysis by Henglue Lawyers

Take a case of intentional injury handled by Henglue Law Firm as an example: The client was detained criminally on suspicion of intentional injury, and was subsequently approved for arrest and detained in a detention center. By the time the application was submitted, the client had long exceeded the so-called "Golden 37-Day" rescue period and was considered a "hard nut to crack" in applying for a change of coercive measures after arrest. The family initially heard various promises, but ultimately chose to entrust a lawyer to handle the case according to law. After accepting the case, Attorney Lu Xiaoxue met with the client multiple times to verify the origin of the case, the injury situation, and the responsibilities of both parties, confirming that the client voluntarily admitted guilt and repentance, reached a settlement with the victim, and provided truthful statements. At the same time, she applied to the procuratorial organ for a review of the necessity of detention, and argued around three points: the client meets the conditions for bail set forth in Article 67 of the Criminal Procedure Law; the client is a first-time offender or occasional offender, and the case was triggered by a trivial dispute, indicating minimal subjective malice and a sudden, accidental occurrence; and she compared each item of the social dangerousness circumstances, demonstrating that there is no real danger of committing new crimes, destroying evidence, interfering with testimony, colluding with others, retaliating, committing suicide, or escaping. The procuratorial organ ultimately determined that there was no necessity to continue detention and changed the coercive measures to bail pending trial. The outcome of this case came from meetings, verification, and legal arguments, rather than any "connections". For cases involving criminal incidental civil compensation and settlement negotiations, refer to the relevant provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law and the Code of Criminal Procedure.Personal injury and medical disputesThe experience in handling such cases; for those involving execution and compensation, reference can be made to the relevant provisions.Creditor's rights and debts, and enforcement casesThis is the practical path of the case. The case was handled by Beijing Henglu Law Firm.Lu XiaoxueThe lawyer (practice license number: 11101202311685747, subject to the document issued by the judicial administrative organ) acts on behalf of the client, relying on his accurate understanding of the local judicial interpretation and practical rules, to help the client achieve favorable results.

IV. Practical suggestions and legal basis

According to Article 49 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Lawyers (amended in 2017), the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Lawyers regarding the prohibition of promising case outcomes, and Articles 67 and 95 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended in 2018), it is recommended to choose a lawyer and proceed with the defense in four steps: First, choose a lawyer who officially accepts the case at a law firm, signs a written power of attorney, and issues an invoice. Refuse any additional fees under the guise of "coordination fees"; Second, be wary of promotions that emphasize "old connections" or "guaranteed outcomes". Such promises are inherently illegal; Third, work with the lawyer to sort out evidence of mitigating circumstances, including voluntary surrender, confession, restitution, reconciliation, and plea bargaining; Fourth, do not give up after the approval of the arrest and apply for a review of the necessity of detention in a timely manner. For enterprises facing criminal risks, refer to the relevant provisions.Business and contract disputes in enterprisesThe compliance mindset; for those involved in the construction of an enterprise's criminal compliance system, they can combine it with the following aspects:Specialised legal services.

5. Henglu Law Firm's Advice

The more you are promised "there will be no problem", the more you need to stay vigilant. Three reminders: First, don't believe any promises about the outcome of the case. This is a behavior explicitly prohibited by professional norms and is also a signal to judge whether the lawyer is legitimate; Second, don't pay fees such as "coordination fees" and "activity fees" that cannot be invoiced. Regular lawyer fees are collected by law firms; Third, don't give up just because you have been arrested. The review of the necessity of detention is a statutory remedy channel.Beijing Henglu Law FirmIt is recommended that family members take the time to understand the lawyer's actual approach to handling cases and working methods, rather than focusing on the persuasiveness of the promises made by the lawyer.

VI. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Is it credible that lawyers promise "they have connections and can bail people out"?

This is untrustworthy. Laws and professional ethics prohibit lawyers from making promises about the outcome of cases, and also prohibit using special relationships with case handlers as a means of soliciting clients. Whether bail can be granted or coercive measures can be modified depends on legal conditions and the circumstances of the case, rather than personal connections.

Q2: How to determine whether a lawyer is legitimate?

It can be judged by whether the law firm officially accepts the case, signs a written power of attorney, collects attorney's fees in a unified manner, and issues invoices; and by whether the lawyer is willing to analyze the case, inform the client of the risks and work steps, rather than emphasizing personal connections and making promises about the outcome.

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

Generally, the fees are charged according to the stages of investigation, review and prosecution, and trial, or on a per-case basis. The fees are related to the complexity of the case, the suspected charges, and the amount of defense work. The fees shall be subject to the written contract of entrustment; the regular lawyer's fees shall be paid to the lawyer's office account and an invoice shall be issued.

Q4: Is there still a chance even though I've been arrested and charged?

Yes. According to Article 95 of the Criminal Procedure Law, after a criminal suspect or defendant is arrested, the People's Procuratorate shall still review the necessity of detention; if there is no need to continue detention, it shall recommend his/her release or the modification of the compulsory measures. You can apply to the procuratorial organ for a review of the necessity of detention in accordance with the law.

Q5: What should I do first?

First, verify the lawyer's and law firm's qualifications to practice law and confirm that the fees are collected through official channels. Then, ask the lawyer to meet with the client as soon as possible to understand the alleged charges and the circumstances of the case, sort out the mitigating circumstances such as voluntary surrender, confession, restitution, reconciliation, and plea of guilty, and fix the corresponding evidence.

The above content is based on the judicial practices in the Beijing area. The facts of individual cases and the jurisdiction of the court may affect the conclusions. Welcome to consult Henglue Lawyers about specific situations.

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

Disclaimer: This article is compiled based on the current effective laws and regulations and open 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 the event of a dispute, please consult a practicing lawyer in a timely manner.