Frequently asked questions about procuradores

A procurador de los tribunales is the legal professional who formally represents a person or company before Spanish courts. There is no exact equivalent in common-law systems: the procurador files documents, receives every notification from the court, monitors procedural deadlines and drives the case forward until judgment is enforced. The procurador works alongside your lawyer (abogado), who handles the legal defence.

The lawyer defends: studies the case, designs the strategy and drafts the legal arguments. The procurador represents: files those documents with the court, receives all court communications, keeps track of deadlines and carries out acts such as service of process or attachments. They are two separate, complementary professions, and in most proceedings Spanish law requires both.

In most court proceedings, yes. Article 23 of the Spanish Civil Procedure Act (Ley de Enjuiciamiento Civil) requires a procurador, with exceptions such as:

• Small claims (juicio verbal) up to €2,000.
• The initial application in order-for-payment proceedings (procedimiento monitorio).
• Certain urgent measures before trial and other cases provided by law.

Rules differ in criminal, employment and administrative proceedings. Contact us with no obligation if you are unsure about your case.

Yes, this is very common. Law firms from Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid and other cities, as well as foreign firms with Spanish counsel, rely on a local procurador when the case is heard by the courts of Lleida. We receive the lawyer's filings, submit them, forward every notification and flag deadlines, so the case can be run without travelling.

Procuradores' fees are governed by the fee schedule approved by Royal Decree 434/2024, which sets a maximum of €75,000 per matter; below that ceiling the price can be freely agreed. The amount depends on the type of proceedings, the amount in dispute and the work required.

Before starting we send you a written quote, with no obligation, listing fees and disbursements (court fees, publications, registry costs) separately.

When a procurador is mandatory, their fees form part of the legal costs. If the judgment orders the other party to pay costs, that party must reimburse them once the court approves the bill of costs.

It is the document that authorises the procurador to represent you in court. It can be granted in two ways:

• Before a notary (in Spain, or abroad with apostille and translation where required).
• Apud acta: free of charge, before the court clerk (Letrado de la Administración de Justicia) or electronically through the courts' online office.

We tell you which option suits you and guide you through it.

If you meet the requirements of the Spanish Free Legal Aid Act, you can apply for a court-appointed lawyer and procurador. The application is filed with the Legal Guidance Service of the Bar Association in your judicial district.

We inform you of every relevant notification on the day we receive it and send advance reminders of deadlines for filings and appeals. You or your lawyer can request a status summary at any time.

Yes. The Spanish Civil Procedure Act grants procuradores certifying authority to carry out acts of communication (summonses, notices, demands and notifications) and the material steps of enforcement delegated by the court. This often speeds up steps that would otherwise depend on the court's workload.

They drive the enforcement proceedings: request and manage attachment orders, process entries in the Land Registry, follow the electronic auction on the Spanish Official Gazette (BOE) auction portal, request the award and attend the eviction when applicable.

Since 3 April 2025, in most civil and commercial matters you must first attempt an appropriate dispute resolution method (MASC), such as negotiation or mediation, before filing a claim. The law also reorganises Spanish courts into tribunales de instancia. Together with your lawyer, we explain how these changes affect your case.

By email to joseluis@rodrigoprocurador.com, by WhatsApp to +34 699 739 869, through the contact form, or in person at the office by appointment. Lawyers can send electronically signed filings for online submission.

The office works in Spanish and Catalan, the official languages of the courts in Catalonia. Documents in other languages must be filed with an official translation when the court requires it.

We answer enquiries received on working days, usually the same day or the next. If your matter has an imminent deadline, call or message us on WhatsApp at +34 699 739 869.