Lawyer – police custody in Paris

Have you or someone close to you been placed in police custody in Paris or faced with criminal proceedings? Calling on a criminal defense lawyer from the very first hours helps ensure the protection of your rights and effectively prepare your defense.

Maître Lois Pamela LESOT, attorney at the Paris Bar, represents you throughout France

Holding degrees in criminal law, international criminal law, and business criminal law, and trained at leading French and British universities (King’s College London, Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, Kent Law School), Maître Lois Pamela LESOT puts her expertise at the service of criminal defense throughout France, including the overseas territories.

She assists you at every stage of the proceedings:

  • Filing a complaint
  • Police custody and interviews
  • Proceedings before the investigating judge
  • Criminal court hearing
  • Immediate appearance (fast-track trial)
  • Hearing before the Assize Court or the Criminal Court
  • Enforcement and adjustment of sentences

With experience gained in renowned law firms (Avi Bitton, William Julié, Collard & Associés…) and within courts (Paris Court of Appeal, International Criminal Court), she adopts a rigorous, human, and strategic approach to each case.

Lawyer’s intervention during police custody

Assistance during police custody

  • Verification of the legality of the police custody placement
  • Verification that the rights of the person in police custody are respected
  • 30-minute meeting with the person in police custody
  • Advice on the right to remain silent or on statements to make
  • Presence during interviews, with the possibility to ask questions and make observations
  • Interventions with the judicial police officer if necessary

Rights of persons in police custody

  • Right to a lawyer from the very beginning of police custody
  • Right to inform a person of their choice
  • Right to be examined by a doctor
  • Right to an interpreter
  • Right to consult certain elements of the case file
  • Right to make statements, answer questions, or remain silent
  • Right to food and to rest periods between the various procedures

Assistance throughout the criminal proceedings

  • Voluntary interview and police custody
  • Transfer to the prosecutor and immediate appearance before the court
  • Proceedings before the investigating judge
  • Searches, confrontations, and other investigative or judicial inquiry measures
  • Criminal court hearing
  • Hearing before the Assize Court or the Criminal Court

Criminal defense in Paris

  • Preparation and assistance for interviews, interrogations, and hearings
  • Requests for procedural acts
  • Applications for release from custody
  • Procedural challenges and nullities
  • Follow-up after judgments and sentence adjustments

The stages of police custody

1. Placement in police custody

  • Decided by a judicial police officer
  • Initial duration: 24 hours (extendable)
  • With notification to the public prosecutor
  • And notification of the rights of the person in police custody

From the moment police custody begins, the presence of a lawyer is a fundamental right. The lawyer verifies the legality of the measure and advises the person in police custody during a 30-minute meeting.

2. Police custody interviews

  • Identity interviews and substantive interviews
  • Right to make statements, answer questions, or remain silent
  • The lawyer’s access to certain elements of the case file
  • Possibility for the lawyer to ask questions and/or make observations
  • Importance of checking the official reports before signing

The police custody lawyer assists their client during police interviews and ensures that their rights are respected and that the procedure is lawful.

3. Other investigative measures that may be carried out during police custody

  • Searches
  • Confrontations
  • Psychological/psychiatric assessments

The lawyer prepares the person in police custody for all of these measures that may be carried out during police custody.

3. The outcomes following police custody

  • Case dismissal without further action
  • Release pending further investigation or awaiting the prosecutor’s decision
  • Transfer before the prosecutor
  • Immediate appearance (fast-track trial)
  • Summons for a later hearing
  • Opening of a judicial investigation

The lawyer assists and advises their client regardless of the outcome of the police custody.

Your Criminal Defense with Maître Lois Pamela LESOT

Consult a lawyer: Maître Lois Pamela LESOT – +33 6 52 02 54 42 – lesot@loispamelalesot.com

The law firm regularly assists and defends individuals placed in police custody in Paris and the Paris region for all criminal offences (violence, rape, sexual assault, money laundering, etc.)

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FAQ – Police Custody Lawyer in Paris

What is police custody under the French Code of Criminal Procedure?

Police custody is a measure involving the deprivation of liberty decided by a judicial police officer when there are serious or consistent indications against a person. It allows that person to be detained for the purposes of the investigation, under the supervision of the public prosecutor.

Throughout the entire duration of police custody, the person benefits from fundamental rights, including the right to be assisted by a lawyer.

For more information: article on police custody.

What is the maximum duration of police custody?

  • The initial duration is 24 hours
  • It may be extended once by the prosecutor, for a maximum total of 48 hours
  • In certain specific cases (organized crime, drug trafficking, terrorism), police custody may last up to 96 hours, or even 144 hours

The criminal defense lawyer verifies the legality of the extension and may intervene to challenge the measure.

What are my rights during police custody?

The person in police custody has essential rights guaranteed by the French Code of Criminal Procedure:

  • Be informed of the police custody measure, its possible duration, and the legal classification of the offence
  • Have any person of their choice informed
  • Be examined by a doctor
  • Be assisted by a lawyer and benefit from a 30-minute meeting with them
  • Be assisted by an interpreter if necessary 
  • Consult certain official reports
  • Submit observations to the public prosecutor or the judge of freedoms and detention when they rule on a possible extension of the police custody measure
  • Make statements, answer questions, or remain silent
  • The right to food and to rest periods between the various procedures

The lawyer ensures that these rights are respected at every stage.

Why call on a lawyer for police custody in Paris?

Police custody is a decisive stage in criminal proceedings. Every word spoken may have consequences for the rest of the criminal procedure and, where applicable, before the criminal court or the Assize Court.

A criminal defense lawyer in Paris makes it possible to:

  • Verify the legality of the police custody placement
  • Understand the measure and their rights
  • Receive advice on the defense strategy from the very first hours
  • Be assisted during police interviews
  • Prepare for the next stages of the proceedings (immediate appearance, formal investigation, hearing before the judge of freedoms and detention, etc.).

When can I request a lawyer during my police custody?

The right to a lawyer exists from the very beginning of police custody.
You may request the presence of your usual lawyer or ask for a court-appointed lawyer from the Paris Bar to be assigned.

The lawyer may consult certain elements of the case file, advise you on your statements, and assist during interviews.

What happens at the end of police custody?

At the end of police custody, several outcomes are possible:

  • Case dismissal without further action
  • Release pending further investigation or awaiting the prosecutor’s decision
  • Transfer before the prosecutor
  • Immediate appearance (fast-track trial)
  • Summons for a later hearing
  • Opening of a judicial investigation
  • Placement under judicial supervision, house arrest, or pre-trial detention

In all cases, the presence of a lawyer is essential to prepare for the next steps.

What remedies are available if my rights were not respected during police custody?

If the person in police custody did not benefit from their rights (absence of a lawyer, exceeding the legal time limit, etc.), the lawyer may:

  • Request the nullity of the police custody measure
  • Challenge the official reports that were drawn up
  • Use these irregularities as a defense argument before the courts

How to choose a lawyer for police custody in Paris?

A good lawyer for police custody in Paris must:

  • Be an expert in criminal law.
  • Have solid experience in police custody and criminal procedure matters
  • Be registered with the Paris Bar to intervene quickly
  • Provide 24/7 availability, as police custody can occur at any time

Can my lawyer speak on my behalf during police custody?

No. The lawyer cannot answer questions on your behalf.

However, they are there to:

  • Advise you before and during the interview
  • Intervene in the event of pressure or violation of your rights
  • Ask you questions and make observations at the end of the interview if necessary
  • Ensure that your statements are accurately recorded in the official report

Maître Lois Pamela LESOT
+33 6 52 02 54 42
lesot@loispamelalesot.com