Jean-Baptiste Marty / Credits: Fiora Garenzi / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
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9:11 a.m., February 12, 2024
The police custody reform will come into force on July 1 in France. According to law enforcement, this measure would give too much power to lawyers and harm investigations. Among the most criticized changes: the impossibility of starting a hearing without the presence of a lawyer for the suspect.
No hearing without a lawyer. The police custody reform will come into force on July 1 and it will change many elements for the police. Until now, the law granted a waiting period of two hours to allow the defendant’s lawyer to arrive at the police station or gendarmerie. From now on, the hearing of the person in custody cannot begin without the presence of his counsel.
The reform also provides for allowing the judicial police officer to notify the prosecutor if the lawyer of the person in custody seriously disrupts the hearing. In this case, new counsel may be appointed to defend the person interviewed.
Possibility of notifying your employer and family
The reform also allows the suspect to be better organized in the event of immediate custody. He will now be able to inform his family and his employer of his situation. Until now, he could only make one phone call. These new provisions are not well received by the police who denounce too much power given to lawyers and a loss of effectiveness of hearings to carry out investigations.