Legal analysis: family members. When a family member of a criminal suspect in criminal detention entrusts a lawyer to represent a case, he shall go through the formalities of agency and meet the criminal suspect. The person subjected to execution shall not act as a defender. Other people who are deprived or restricted of personal freedom according to law shall not act as defenders. In addition, according to the provisions of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate on judicial interpretation, persons with incapacity, persons with limited capacity, foreigners and stateless persons may not be entrusted as defenders.

Legal basis: Article 33 of the Criminal Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC). In addition to exercising the right of defense, criminal suspects and defendants may also entrust one or two people as defenders. The following persons may be entrusted as defenders: (1) lawyers; (2) A person recommended by a people's organization or the unit to which the criminal suspect or defendant belongs; (3) Guardians, relatives and friends of criminal suspects and defendants. A person who has been sentenced to punishment according to law or deprived of or restricted personal freedom shall not act as a defender. A person who has been dismissed from public office or has his lawyer's or notary's practice certificate revoked may not act as a defender, except the guardian or near relative of the criminal suspect or defendant.