Suspected of a crime in Sweden?
You can choose your own public defence counsel. Tell the police you want a lawyer from Ejder Advokatbyrå – our lawyers work in English.
Call +46 10 173 18 50 Call me back
Boka ett möteCriminal defence lawyer in Stockholm
If you are suspected of a crime in Sweden, you have the right to a defence lawyer – and you can choose who it should be. Tell the police which lawyer you want in good time before your first police interview. Our defence lawyers are advokater – members of the Swedish Bar Association.
How to ask for us as your defence counsel
If you want a particular lawyer, tell the police, for example when you are informed of the suspicion or at the interview. The person in charge of the investigation then notifies the court, which appoints the defence counsel. It is best to tell the police in good time before the interview. The court then has time to appoint your lawyer, and you and your lawyer can talk beforehand about how to handle the interview.
Say that you want advokat Robert Klackenborn or advokat Simon Boson at Ejder Advokatbyrå.
The court must appoint the lawyer you suggest, as long as he or she is qualified and there are no special reasons against it. This applies at every district court in Sweden.
If you are not in custody, you can also call us yourself on +46 10 173 18 50 (weekdays 08:30–17:00). We work in English, and what you tell your lawyer is covered by a duty of confidentiality.
When you have the right to public defence counsel
You are entitled to public defence counsel (offentlig försvarare) if you ask for one and you have been detained by order of the prosecutor (anhållen) or remanded in custody by the court (häktad), or if you are suspected of a crime with a minimum sentence of six months in prison or more. A lawyer can also be appointed in other cases, for example if the investigation is complex or your personal situation requires it.
What happens from the police interview to the trial is explained step by step on Arrested or called to a police interview in Sweden.
Your right to an interpreter
If you do not speak Swedish well, you have the right to an interpreter at police interviews and in court, free of charge. If no interpreter has been booked, or an interview is about to go ahead even though you do not fully understand, your defence lawyer asks for it to be postponed until an interpreter is present.
What your defence lawyer does
- Access to the investigation. You and your lawyer have the right to see the material as the preliminary investigation (förundersökning) goes on, as long as this does not harm the investigation. In many cases little or nothing is released until the investigation is complete. Your lawyer therefore explains to the prosecutor and the police why ongoing access matters in your case – with well-founded arguments, a good deal of material can often be obtained early. Your lawyer makes sure you can read it and give your comments.
- Prepares you before each interview, is present when you are questioned and represents you at remand hearings.
- Carries out an independent investigation alongside the police – for example visiting the scene, obtaining documents or engaging an independent expert.
- Asks for further investigation when it can shed light on circumstances in your favour.
- At the trial, tests the prosecution’s evidence, questions witnesses, presents your evidence and argues on guilt, the legal classification of the offence and the sentence.
No lawyer can promise a particular outcome.
What it costs
The state pays the public defence counsel. If you are convicted and have a good financial situation, you may have to repay all or part of the cost to the state.
If a family member has been arrested
The suspect chooses his or her own defence lawyer. As a relative you cannot appoint a lawyer for an adult, but you can let the person know which lawyer you would like him or her to ask for. If the suspect is under 18, the guardian chooses.
Contact
We have offices in Stockholm, Södertälje, Nyköping and Västerås, and take cases throughout Sweden. Call +46 10 173 18 50 or leave your number in the form, and we normally call back the same weekday. Offices and contact details · Our lawyers
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose my own lawyer if I am not Swedish?
Yes. The right to choose public defence counsel does not depend on your nationality or residence. The court appoints the lawyer you ask for, as long as he or she is qualified and there are no special reasons against it.
Do I have to pay for a public defence lawyer?
The state pays the public defence counsel. If you are convicted and have a good financial situation, you may have to repay all or part of the cost to the state.
Can you help me in English?
Yes. Our lawyers work in English. In police interviews and in court you also have the right to an interpreter in your own language.
I already have a lawyer appointed. Can I change?
You can ask the court to change your public defence counsel, but a change requires special reasons. After one change, a further change requires exceptional reasons.
Can my family choose a lawyer for me?
Not if you are an adult – you choose yourself. Your family can contact us, but the request for a particular lawyer must come from you. If you are under 18, your guardian chooses.
Reviewed by advokat Robert Klackenborn, October 2026.