In criminal proceedings, under the Criminal Procedure Code, advocates and legal advisers may be examined as to facts that are subject to legal professional privilege only when this is absolutely necessary in the interests of justice and the facts cannot be established by use of any other measures of inquiry. The same rule applies to documents that fall within the scope of the protection afforded by legal professional privilege.

In civil and administrative proceedings, under the Civil Procedure Code and Administrative Procedure Code, advocates and legal advisers may refuse to give testimony or to produce a document requested by a court or public authorities if doing so would expose them to infringing the obligation of confidentiality.