Emergency assistance24/7 urgent criminal lawyer in Spain

Call now: +34 669 30 21 13.

What happens after an arrest in Spain

Police detention lasts up to 72 hours, after which the detainee is either released or brought before a judge. During that window the detainee has the right to a lawyer of their choice, to an interpreter, to medical assistance and to inform their consulate. The single most important rule: no statement without your own lawyer present. Declining to answer questions until counsel arrives is a right, not an obstruction.

What we do in the first hours

• Attend the police station, wherever and whenever, and speak with the detainee before any statement.
• Review the detention: grounds, timing and treatment, and demand habeas corpus where detention is unlawful.
• Prepare the court appearance within the 72-hour window, where release, bail or pre-trial detention is decided.
• Handle the family: information in plain language, consular contact, and logistics for relatives abroad.

Typical urgent situations

• Arrests in airports and ports, including drug and customs cases.
• Nightlife incidents: fights, injuries, resisting arrest.
• Drink-driving stops and refusal to test.
• Domestic incidents involving visiting couples, with fast-track (juicio rápido) hearings within days.
• European arrest warrants executed against residents and tourists.

See also: prison and pre-trial detention, drink driving and extradition and European arrest warrants.

Frequently asked questions

The duty lawyer already saw the detainee. Do we still need our own? The duty system covers the minimum. A chosen lawyer can be appointed at any moment, takes over immediately, and builds the defence rather than accompanying a statement.

Can I speak with my relative while they are detained? Direct contact is restricted, but the lawyer can see the detainee, pass essential family information and report back immediately. That is usually the family’s first reliable news.

Will they be released after the 72 hours? Most detainees are released with or without precautionary measures. Pre-trial detention is the exception, reserved for serious cases; when it is requested, the first hearing is where it must be fought.

We are not in Spain. How do we engage you? A call and a power of attorney arranged remotely are enough. We report in English or French from the first intervention.

Why Société Juridique (SCJE)

A criminal-only practice with genuine 24/7 availability, offices in Alicante and Madrid, and full case handling in English and French from the police station to trial.

Urgent line, day and night: +34 669 30 21 13.