In an emergency, every hour counts.

Until HÖLLWARTH takes over

“No statement without my lawyer” is not a film quote, it is your right, and it does not rule out cooperation. Until your defence lawyer arrives, the following applies if you are the accused:

1. Stay polite and follow the instructions. A search, an arrest, being taken to the police station: none of that can be prevented on the spot. Resisting is a criminal offence in its own right. Staying silent is not.
2. Say nothing about the matter. Not “just to clear things up”, not in the patrol car, not in the corridor, not as small talk in between. Any of it can end up in the record later.
3. You do not have to give personal details either. Not your name, not your date of birth, not your address. That holds even when the question sounds harmless or is asked in a friendly way.
4. Ask expressly for a defence lawyer. Before the questioning begins. And insist that this goes into the record.
5. Sign nothing, hand over nothing voluntarily. Object to the seizure expressly instead of letting it happen in silence. In some circumstances you do have to hand over a device – but not the code to it. Do not say it, and do not unlock anything “just quickly”.
6. Write things down as soon as you can. The time, the police station, the names of the officers, who else was there. And have your relatives notified.

“Say nothing. Not one word.”

HÖLLWARTH takes care of the rest.

When to call

• Arrest by the policeYou or a relative have been arrested. Call before the first police interview.
• House searchThe search is going on right now. Sign nothing, hand over nothing voluntarily. In some circumstances you do have to hand over a device, but not the code to it.
• Summons receivedA summons to questioning as an accused person has arrived.
• Questioning as a witnessThe summons says “witness”, but the questions are aimed at you. As a witness you may bring a legal representative or a person of trust, but you must tell the truth – unlike an accused person. You may refuse to answer only where your answer would incriminate you. And the status can change in the course of the questioning.
• Pre-trial or deportation detentionDetention has already been ordered or is imminent.
• Seizure & confiscationA phone, documents or assets have been seized.
• Tax police or tax investigationAn audit is under way on the premises, documents and servers are being taken away.
• Barring order or removal from the homeThe police are in the flat, the order takes effect immediately.
• European arrest warrantExtradition or arrest abroad.