Criminal defence in Spain
Arrested or under investigation in Spain? I can help.
I am Saúl Rosell, a criminal defence lawyer in Madrid. I defend people who have been arrested, charged or summoned in Spain, and I guide their families through what happens next. Write to me on WhatsApp and tell me what has happened.
Saúl Rosell Manglano · Criminal defence lawyer · Madrid · ICAM 83.198
72 h
Maximum time in police custody before release or a judge (art. 17 Constitution, art. 520 LECrim).
Free
Interpreter at the police station and in court, by law, if you do not understand Spanish.
You choose
You can name your own lawyer at any time, even if a duty lawyer has already been assigned.
From the arrest to the judge
- 0 h
Arrest. The police must explain the reasons and the rights in a language the person understands.
- 3 h
The lawyer you name has up to three hours to arrive at the police station.
- Before
Private meeting with the lawyer, always before any statement.
- 72 h
Limit of police custody: release or appearance before the duty judge.
- Judge
Release, release with conditions or, in serious cases, pre-trial detention.
Who I am
I have practised criminal law in Madrid since 2010 and I am a member of the Madrid Bar (ICAM 83.198). I work only in criminal matters: arrests, investigations, trials, appeals and the enforcement of sentences.
I handle your case myself. There are no associates or trainees between you and your lawyer: we speak directly and I sign every document in your defence.
- 2010
- Practising since
- ICAM 83.198
- Madrid Bar member
- Hundreds
- of people defended
How I can help
These are the situations I most often see with clients from abroad. Each page explains, in plain English, what the law says and what I do.
Someone has been arrested
What the family can do right now, how to name me as the lawyer, and what the 72-hour limit means.
Your rights as a foreign national
Interpreter, translation of key documents, consulate, silence, and the right to a lawyer of your choice.
Fast-track trial
When a case is tried within days, what a plea agreement means and why the decision should not be rushed.
European Arrest Warrant and extradition
Another country wants you handed over. Time limits, the hearing in Madrid, and the grounds for refusal.
Drink driving
Breath tests, the 0.60 mg/l threshold, refusing the test, and what happens to your licence.
Assault and fights
A night out that ended badly: the medical report, the difference between minor and serious injury, and self-defence.
International cases
Extradition, Interpol alerts, surrender to another EU country, and cases that involve more than one legal system.
For lawyers outside Spain
Your client has a criminal matter in Spain. How I work with foreign colleagues, from the first hearing to the appeal.
How we will understand each other
I work in Spanish. With my clients from abroad I use translation tools to read and answer messages, and we manage well that way. At the police station and in court the law gives you a free interpreter, and I make sure that right is respected. If you write to me in English, I will answer you.
How I work
You write or call
Tell me what has happened, where, and at what stage things are. You do not need to send documents to get a quote.
I give you a written quote, free of charge
A fixed price for each stage of the case, in writing, before I start. Once agreed, it does not change.
You engage me
You can appoint me from abroad. Your family can pay by international bank transfer or by card, and I issue an invoice for every payment.
I keep you informed
You and your family can follow the case through a private online area, with documents and dates, and write to me there.
Where I work
I am based in Madrid and I act throughout Spain. Outside Madrid, when a case needs someone on the ground, I work alongside trusted local lawyers while I direct the defence. These are the areas where I most often help English-speaking clients:
- Madrid and Barajas airport
- Costa Blanca (Alicante, Torrevieja, Benidorm)
- Costa del Sol (Málaga, Marbella)
- Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza)
- Canary Islands
Fees and payment from abroad
I quote a fixed fee for each stage, in writing and before starting. You only pay for the work that is done: if the case is closed during the investigation, there is no fee for a trial that never happens.
Payment can be made by international bank transfer (SEPA or SWIFT) or by card through a secure payment link. Instalments are possible when the case is not urgent. VAT (21%) is itemised on every quote and invoice.
Questions I am often asked
Do you speak English?
I work in Spanish and I use translation tools to read and answer messages in English. It works well in practice. In court you have the right to a free interpreter appointed by the court, and I make sure it is provided.
Can my family hire you from outside Spain?
Yes. The family can contact me, receive the quote and pay from abroad. The person detained appoints me by giving my name to the police or the court; your family cannot do that on their behalf, but they can get me ready to act.
A duty lawyer has already been assigned. Can I change?
Yes, at any point in the proceedings. Having had a duty lawyer at the police station does not prevent you from appointing your own lawyer afterwards.
How much will it cost?
It depends on the stage and the complexity of the case. I always give a fixed written quote before starting, free of charge. Asking for it costs nothing.
Will I be deported if I am convicted?
Not automatically. Spanish law allows a prison sentence of more than one year to be replaced by expulsion in some cases (art. 89 Penal Code), but it depends on your residence status, your ties to Spain and the sentence. It is one of the first things I look at.
Is it urgent?
Call me on 688 884 488. I answer the phone myself, at any hour.