Duty solicitor

A solicitor available 24 hours a day to give free, independent legal advice to anyone at a police station, whatever their income.

A duty solicitor is an independent criminal defence solicitor who gives free legal advice to people held or interviewed at a police station, and to some defendants at magistrates' courts. Legal advice at the police station is free for everyone, whatever their income, under section 58 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. Police contact the Defence Solicitor Call Centre, which arranges either the duty solicitor or a solicitor you name. For some less serious matters, advice may be given by telephone only. Once you have asked for legal advice, police should not question you until you have received it, except in limited circumstances, and in serious cases a senior officer can delay access for up to 36 hours. Duty solicitors do not work for the police. Police must not try to talk you out of getting legal advice, and you can ask for it at any time.

Checked as at 25 September 2026. General information only, not legal advice.