Assistance during police questioning
Do you know in what capacity you are being interrogated? Your rights depend on your position in the interrogation. An interrogation includes a declaration of rights. As a suspect, depending on your situation, you have the right to confidential consultation with a lawyer and to assistance during the interrogation. We will look at the invitation and explain what may apply to you.
When contacted, please state the date, time and place of the hearing.
What do you do once the police questioning is scheduled?
This page is specifically about legal assistance during a specific interrogation. The invitation and your capacity determine which questions must be answered first.
Do
- Read the invitation and bill of rights in full and note your status.
- Keep the date, time, place and contact details of the police department together.
- Before the interrogation, ask if the office can discuss your situation and possible assistance.
Don’t
- Don't practice a boilerplate statement you found online.
- Do not discuss sensitive facts in detail through an unsecured first contact.
- Do not assume that the rights of a witness and a suspect are the same.
This is general information. Your capacity, invitation and concrete circumstances determine which rights and preparation apply to you.
Useful to have ready
This is a preparation list, not a procedure manual and not advice about your case file.
- Date, time and place of the interrogation if known
- The full invitation and bill of rights
- Previous pieces that relate to the facts
- A brief chronology in your words
- Names of parties involved
Agree with the office how you will deliver sensitive documents. The contact form is only intended for a short initial sketch.
Discuss what you already have
You have been invited as a suspect and know little about the facts
Someone from the Zaventem region receives an invitation for an interrogation in Brussels. The invitation states that the person will be heard as a suspect, but the description of the facts is brief. The useful first step is to read the invitation and letter of rights, provide the names involved for the conflict check and confidentially discuss what the person knows about the events.
This is an illustrative example. It does not describe a client or actual case file.
How do we prepare assistance for your interrogation?
Flamend & Partners will determine in what capacity you will be heard and what information you have already received. We then discuss the facts confidentially, explain the applicable rights in plain language and determine what assistance is available. There is no standard answer that is safe or appropriate for every interrogation.
Who can assist you during a criminal interrogation?
Carine Flamend and Gauthier Baudts handle criminal law questions within the team. Who is specifically involved depends on the conflict check, availability and your case file.
Assistance from Zaventem, also for an interrogation elsewhere
The office is located in Zaventem and handles questions from clients from Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia. The interrogation can take place at another police service. The invitation determines where and when you are expected.
General information, not advice about your case file
Flamend & Partners publishes this explanation to help you organize your first questions and documents. A careful assessment starts with your facts, documents and personal circumstances.
What always depends on your case
- Your rights and options depend on your specific situation.
- We do not promise a specific outcome of the investigation.
- Only deliver confidential documents through a channel agreed with the office.
Questions about assistance with your police questioning
Your capacity and the information on the invitation are the starting point. These answers do not replace advice about your interrogation.
Am I entitled to a lawyer during the interrogation?
This depends, among other things, on your capacity and the circumstances of the interrogation. Have the invitation and declaration of rights assessed in your own situation.
What if the interrogation takes place in Brussels and the office is in Zaventem?
The location of the office does not determine your rights. Report the exact location and scheduled time, so that the office can assess what assistance is practically possible.
Do I have to forward all messages and documents immediately?
No. Start with the invitation, your capacity and the names involved. Agree with the office through which channel sensitive documents can be delivered safely.
Where can I find broader preparation for a police questioning?
The Prepare for a Police Interview insight provides a broader explanation of how to read your invitation, organize information, and gather questions for an initial discussion.
Your situation first deserves clarity.
Briefly explain what is going on. We carefully consider which next step is appropriate.