You received mail from the police?
A police summons (Vorladung) can be unsettling. Stay calm and inform yourself about your rights before you act.
Your Most Important Rights as a Suspect
- Right to remain silent. You do not have to make a statement. This right is your most important instrument of protection.
- Right to a lawyer. You can bring in a defense attorney at any time.
- No obligation to appear. As a suspect, you do not have to comply with a police summons. It is different for a summons from the public prosecutor (Staatsanwaltschaft) or the court.
What You Should Keep in Mind
- Do not make any statement on the matter. First exercise your right to remain silent. Whether and to what extent a statement makes sense should only be decided after inspection of the case file (Akteneinsicht).
- Review the summons carefully. What matters is whether the summons comes from the police, the public prosecutor, or the court. Not every summons obliges you to appear.
- Secure the documents. Keep the letter and the case reference number (Aktenzeichen).
- Call me. I will advise you on whether and how to respond to the summons.
File Inspection: Knowing What the Police Know
As your criminal defense lawyer, I can request access to the case file (Akteneinsicht). This way we find out which allegations are specifically being raised and what evidence exists, before you decide.
Quick Help with a Police Summons
Call me immediately after receiving the summons. I am also available outside office hours for urgent criminal law matters.