What we do
- Assistance after arrest and at the initial hearing before the supervising judge
- Defense during investigation, the intermediate stage and oral trial
- Requests for and review of alternatives to pre-trial detention
- Victim representation: criminal complaints, private prosecution and independent charges
- Economic, cyber and property crimes affecting companies
- Criminal appeals and cassation before the Supreme Tribunal of Justice
When to contact us
- You or a relative has been arrested or summoned by the Public Prosecutor or the police.
- You received a formal notice of charges or a summons from a criminal court.
- You were the victim of a crime and want the investigation to move forward.
- Your company faces a criminal complaint from a partner, employee or third party.
Legal basis
- Constitution (CRBV), art. 44anyone arrested must be brought before a judge within 48 hours; art. 49, due process.
- Organic Code of Criminal Procedure (COPP, 2021 amendment)stages of proceedings, flagrante delicto, precautionary measures, rights of the accused and of victims.
- Criminal Codeoffenses and penalties.
- Anti-Corruption Law and Organic Law against Organized Crime (LOCDOFT)offenses under special regimes.
Frequently asked questions
What is flagrante delicto and what happens at the initial hearing?
An arrest is in flagrante delicto when the person is caught committing the offense, has just committed it, or is pursued immediately afterwards. The Public Prosecutor must bring the detainee before a supervising judge within 48 hours. At that hearing the judge rules on whether the arrest was lawful, which procedure applies and whether the person remains free, subject to alternative measures, or in custody. Having a lawyer from that moment is decisive.
Can the victim take part in criminal proceedings in Venezuela?
Yes. The victim can file a complaint or a private prosecution, attend hearings, request investigative steps, file independent charges and appeal decisions that affect them, even if the Public Prosecutor does not.
What are alternatives to pre-trial detention?
They are measures the judge can order so that the person faces trial at liberty, such as periodic reporting to the court, a ban on leaving the country or bail. They depend on the seriousness of the offense and the risks of flight and obstruction, and can be requested or reviewed during the proceedings.