Police, court and legal Spanish

It is for anyone thinking about, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. You will know your interpreter rights, how to report a crime without Spanish and what the main legal terms mean.

Start with "Your interpreter rights if you are questioned, detained or accused". It explains what must be provided free of charge and what to insist on before you declare or sign anything.

After that, read the page that fits your situation:

• "Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain" for what is asked and what to say.
• "Reading a court summons (citación) and what the hearing involves" if you have received a summons.
• "Interpreters in civil, employment and family court" to plan language support and cost outside criminal cases.
• "Police and legal Spanish glossary for the words that matter" to look up key terms.

This Topic does not cover choosing a lawyer, defence strategy, crime prevention or victim support services.

Key rules

• ID check at station: Police can take you to a nearby station only to identify you, for no more than 6 hours, and this is not an arrest.
• Duty lawyer: If you ask for a duty lawyer (abogado de oficio) while detained, the lawyer must arrive within 3 hours of the request.
• Signing a statement: You do not have to sign a police statement, and before signing you can have it read or explained through an interpreter and ask for corrections.
• Free interpreter: If you are accused, investigated or detained and do not understand Spanish, you get a free interpreter at every stage, from police questioning and the meeting with your lawyer through to trial and appeals.
• Read the notice: The dates and instructions are in the notice itself, so read it the day you get it.
• Procurador: A procurador is not your lawyer; in many civil cases you need both.

Police, court and legal Spanish: the whole process, step by step

• Have your licence, registration, inspection card and insurance proof ready (Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain): before you drive and at any traffic stop

• If you live abroad and are fined at the roadside, pay on the spot or leave a deposit of the fine amount (Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain): at the stop, to avoid your vehicle being immobilised

• Pay the fine straight away to get the 50% reduction, or decline and use your right to submit allegations (Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain): at the stop for the reduction; otherwise within the deadline on the fine notice

• Ask for a free interpreter and read the rights sheet in your language (Your interpreter rights if you are questioned, detained or accused): from your first contact with police

• Read your summons to see whether it is a citación, emplazamiento, requerimiento or cédula (Reading a court summons (citación) and what the hearing involves): as soon as it arrives

• Ask the court in writing for an interpreter, giving the case number, language and hearing date (Interpreters in civil, employment and family court): as soon as the summons arrives, days before the hearing

• Look up unfamiliar police and court words (Police and legal Spanish glossary for the words that matter): before the hearing or any police interview

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• TIE (residence card) if you live in Spain, original copy — Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain
• Valid passport or travel document if you are a visitor — Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain

The home and the lease

• Driving licence — Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain

Guarantees

• Proof of valid compulsory insurance for the vehicle — Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain

Other documents

• The decision that took away your liberty — Your interpreter rights if you are questioned, detained or accused
• The charges against — Your interpreter rights if you are questioned, detained or accused
• The decisions on pre-trial detention and other precautionary measures — Your interpreter rights if you are questioned, detained or accused
• Your foreign-language documents — Interpreters in civil, employment and family court
• Vehicle registration document — Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain
• ITV inspection card — Police identity checks and traffic stops in Spain

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Police, court and legal Spanish: questions that cross several articles

Do I get written translations of court papers if I am accused?

Yes, essential papers such as the charges, the detention decision and the judgment must be translated in writing, though an oral summary can replace this if your defence is not harmed. The judge decides what counts as essential, so ask your lawyer to request specific translations.

Does the free interpreter cover my private talk with my lawyer?

Yes, the interpreter covers talks with your lawyer that relate to questioning, hearings, appeals or other steps in the case, including the private meeting in police custody. The interpreter keeps the conversation confidential.

What can I do if the interpreter is poor or I was told I do not need one?

Object at once through your lawyer so the objection is written in the record before you sign. You can ask for a replacement interpreter, and a rejected objection can be appealed. A later claim that you did not understand is weaker without an objection made at the time.

In what form must police tell me my rights if I am detained?

Police must tell you your rights both orally and in writing, in a language you understand. If no written version exists in your language, an interpreter tells you orally and the written sheet follows later. You can keep a copy. See Your interpreter rights if you are questioned, detained or accused and the glossary article for terms you may meet.

Is the interpreter process the same for a court summons in a non-criminal case?

No, in civil and labour cases you must ask the court yourself, in writing, before the hearing, whereas in criminal cases your defence lawyer normally asks. A short written request is enough. See Reading a court summons (citación) and what the hearing involves and Interpreters in civil, employment and family court.