Part 1. General rules on criminal procedure.
Section IV. The accused and the counsel for the defence.
Article 29
An accused person may conduct his or her own defence in the case if he or she chooses to do so and is capable of doing so in the opinion of the judge or the police. In such cases, accused persons who are not qualified in law shall be given guidance, as necessary, as to the formal aspects of the case.
Article 30
The police shall be obliged to comply with an accused person’s wish to have a defence counsel appointed if he or she has been arrested in the interests of the investigation of a case.
The police may at all times, in accordance with an accused person’s wishes, nominate him or her a defence counsel during the investigation of the case and before an action has been brought if there is reason to do this in terms of the nature of the offence and other circumstances of the case. In addition, the police may nominate a defence counsel for the accused, even when he or she has not requested this, if he or she is not capable of defending his or her interests properly during the investigation. This decision may be referred to the judge.
Nomination of a defence counsel under the first paragraph shall expire automatically when the accused is released or brought before a judge under Article 94. Otherwise, the nomination shall expire according to a ruling by the judge as provided for under the third sentence of the second paragraph, or when a case is brought, the investigation is discontinued or the case is dropped in some other way.
Part 4. Prosecution and procedure in cases before a district court.
Section XXIV. Indictments, summonses and their service.
Article 156
When the indictment is served, the defendant shall be asked whether he or she wishes to have a defence counsel, and if so, whom. The defendant’s position on this question shall be recorded in the certificate of service. The defendant may, however, defer taking a decision on a defence counsel until the case is registered.
Article 157
If, when the indictment was served, the defendant requested to have a defence counsel appointed, the judge shall take a decision on the appointment. The judge shall at the same time send the defence counsel copies of the case documents and inform him or her of when the case is to be registered.
''Article 6 Lawyer for victims of crime''
A victim in a case falling within the jurisdiction of the court may request the appointment
of a legal guardian if there is reason to believe that he has suffered significant bodily or
health damage as a result of the accused's conduct and it is considered necessary that he be
assisted by a legal guardian.
Provisions [V. Chapter of the Code of Criminal Procedure] 1) shall apply as appropriate.
''Article 5 Defendant's defense counsel''
A person suspected of or accused of conduct falling within the jurisdiction of the court shall
be entitled to the assistance of a defense counsel of his choice for the handling of the case in
this country. He shall be notified of this right.
Defendant's fee is paid from the state treasury and shall be determined in accordance with
the Act on [Criminal Procedure].
1. In the determination of any charge, the accused shall be entitled to a public hearing, having regard to the provisions of this Statute, to a fair hearing conducted impartially, and to the following minimum guarantees, in full equality:
(d) Subject to article 63, paragraph 2, to be present at the trial, to conduct the defence in person or through legal assistance of the accused's choosing, to be informed, if the accused does not have legal assistance, of this right and to have legal assistance assigned by the Court in any case where the interests of justice so require, and without payment if the accused lacks sufficient means to pay for it;