Legislative developments introduced by Organic Law 1/2026
On April 9, 2026, the Official State Gazette (BOE) published Organic Law 1/2026, introducing key amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Act. These reforms will enter into force 20 days after their publication and will apply retroactively where more favorable to the defendant. At Nieto Enríquez Criminal Defense Lawyers, a criminal law […]
Cristina Nieto Enriquez, awarded as Criminal Lawyer of the Year in Spain at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026
Cristina Nieto Enriquez, partner at the prominent law firm Nieto Enriquez Abogados Penalistas, has recently been awarded Criminal Lawyer of the Year in Spain at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026. This award, granted by the prestigious publication specializing in the legal sector, highlights Cristina Nieto Enriquez’s excellence and impact in the field of criminal […]
Cristina Nieto, recognized by Best Lawyers Spain for her excellence in compliance and criminal defense
The prestigious international directory Best Lawyers has distinguished our partner, Cristina Nieto Enríquez, for her legal career and contribution to the legal sector in Spain. The lawyer and founder of the law firm Nieto Enríquez Abogados Penalistas has been recognized in the 2025 and 2026 editions of Best Lawyers in two key categories: This recognition, […]
What is extradition?
Extradition is a legal procedure that allows one state to request or grant the surrender of a person accused or convicted of committing a crime in another country. In practical terms, it is a mechanism of international judicial cooperation that ensures no one can evade justice by taking refuge outside the territory where the crime […]
Spain prepares for a new criminal justice system: the Government approves the Draft Bill of the Criminal Procedure Act
The Council of Ministers is set to approve the new draft of the Organic Law on Criminal Procedure (Loecrim), a far-reaching reform that will transform Spain’s criminal justice model, in force for more than 140 years. The current Criminal Procedure Act, enacted in 1882 by Manuel Alonso Martínez, will give way to a completely renewed […]
How much is the penalty for unlawful possession of weapons?
The unlawful possession of weapons is a crime regulated in the Spanish Penal Code and can be punished with prison sentences ranging from 6 months to 3 years, depending on the type of weapon and whether it involves prohibited, modified, or regulated weapons without a license. It is not a simple administrative sanction: it is […]
What happens if I get caught driving without a license?
If you get caught driving without a license, you face the crime of driving without a permit as set out in Article 384 of the Criminal Code. This conduct can be punished with prison sentences of 3 to 6 months, fines of 12 to 24 months, or community service from 31 to 90 days. It […]
Cristina Nieto Enríquez analyzes on Noticias Cuatro the Penal Code penalties for arson
Wildfires have become one of the greatest tragedies of every summer in our country. Beyond the irreparable environmental and material losses, these disasters affect thousands of people whose safety and homes are threatened. In this context, our criminal lawyer Cristina Nieto Enríquez participated in a report broadcast by Noticias Cuatro to explain the legal implications […]
What are minor offences?
Minor offences, according to the Spanish Criminal Code, are criminal offences of lesser seriousness, punished with light penalties. They do not reach the seriousness of less serious or serious crimes and do not involve prison sentences. Until the 2015 criminal reform, these types of acts were known as faltas (misdemeanours), but since then they have […]
What is the difference between robbery and theft?
The main difference between robbery and theft lies in the use of force or violence. Robbery involves the use of force on objects (such as breaking a lock) or violence or intimidation against people to take someone else’s property. Theft, on the other hand, occurs without using any of these means, taking objects without the […]
