Investigado, Imputado, Acusado: What These Spanish Legal Terms Mean
Received Spanish court papers calling you investigado, imputado or acusado? What each term means, what changed in 2015, and what to do at each stage.
Read the article The blog of Miriam Rosales Criminal law · Málaga and all of Spain
Criminal law, explained for the people who need it.
No jargon and no runaround: what happens, what deadlines apply and what your real options are. Written by Miriam Rosales, criminal defence lawyer.
Latest articles
How to Choose a Criminal Lawyer in Spain (and What to Ignore)
What to look for when choosing a criminal defence lawyer in Spain: specialisation, experience in your type of case, honesty, direct contact in English, and the red flags to avoid.
Money Laundering Penalties in Spain: What You Risk
Money laundering penalties in Spain explained for foreigners: prison terms, fines, frozen accounts, and why money earned abroad still counts.
A Family Member Has Been Arrested in Spain: What You Can Do
What to do if a relative is arrested in Spain: what you must be told, how to appoint a lawyer before they make a statement, the 72-hour limit, and the mistakes to avoid.
Drug Possession vs Trafficking in Spain: How Much Is Personal Use?
There is no fixed legal amount: how Spanish courts separate personal use from trafficking, the guideline quantities per substance, and the evidence that changes everything.
Arrested for Drugs in Spain: What Happens Next
Arrested for drugs in Spain as a foreigner? What the police can do, what your embassy can and cannot do, and the decisions that matter in the first days.
Interpol Wanted List: How It Works and What to Do
What the Interpol wanted list really shows, why not appearing means nothing, and what to do if your name is there or you fear a Red Notice exists.
How Much Does a Criminal Lawyer Cost in Spain?
How much a criminal lawyer costs in Spain and what the price depends on. Fees, what legal aid covers and why a foreign national usually pays privately.
Pre-Trial Detention in Spain: How Long and How to Fight It
A relative remanded in custody in Spain before trial? What pre-trial detention requires, how long it can last and how to challenge it at the hearing.
Extradition of EU Citizens: What Rights Do You Have?
If you are an EU citizen and a country requests you, must Spain notify your home country? What European law says about the extradition of EU citizens.
Extradition and Asylum: Can Asylum Stop Your Surrender?
Can an asylum claim stop an extradition? How political asylum and extradition relate in Spain and when it is a real avenue of defence.
Extradition Refused in Spain: Can I Travel Now?
Spain has refused your extradition and you want to know if you can travel freely. What a refusal really means and what risks still exist abroad.
Extradition from Spain by Country: A Practical Guide
Morocco, the US, Albania, China or Venezuela: how extradition from Spain works depending on the requesting country and what safeguards you have in each case.
EncroChat as Evidence: What Spain's Supreme Court Ruled
Can EncroChat messages be used as evidence in Spain? This is what the Supreme Court has ruled and what options the defence has.
Extradition vs European Arrest Warrant: Which One Applies
Are you being requested from another country and don't know if it's extradition or an EAW? This is the real difference between them and why it changes your defence.
Criminal Organisation vs Criminal Group: The Difference
The difference between a criminal organisation and a criminal group can change your sentence. What Spain's Criminal Code says (art. 570 bis and ter) and why it is decisive.
Petaqueo Offence in Spain: the New Law and Penalty
Petaqueo is now a specific offence in Spain: art. 568.2 of the Criminal Code, 3 to 5 years from April 2026. What it covers, earlier cases and how to defend it.
Interpol Red Notice: What It Is and How to Remove It
You have or think you have an Interpol Red Notice and don't know what it means. What a Red Notice is, its consequences, and how to remove or appeal it before the CCF.
How Many Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking in Spain?
How many years in prison drug trafficking can carry under the Spanish Criminal Code: basic penalties, aggravating factors and when the penalty can be reduced.
Arrested for Drug Trafficking in Spain: The First 72 Hours
You have been arrested for drug trafficking in Spain and don't know what happens next. What happens in the first 72 hours, your rights and what not to do.
European Arrest Warrant in Spain: What It Is and What to Do
You have been served with a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) in Spain and don't know what happens now. How the process works, the deadlines and your rights.
