Documentary Forgery Lawyer in Madrid
If you are being investigated for a documentary forgery offence in Madrid, what you do in the first few weeks shapes the rest of the proceedings. An invoice, a contract, a payslip, a certificate or a deed being called into question can end up in a criminal complaint and a summons from the court. We are criminal defense lawyers in Madrid specialising in documentary forgery and white-collar crime, and we work on your defense from your very first statement.
Criminal defense lawyer specialising in documentary forgery in Madrid, available 24 hours
Documentary forgery almost never appears on its own. It usually arises within an investigation for fraud, misappropriation or dishonest management, and often the first sign is a summons as a person under investigation or a request to provide documentation. At that point you need a documentary forgery lawyer in Madrid who understands both the offence itself and the role that document plays in the case. We handle enquiries and emergencies 24 hours a day.
Types of document and forms of forgery we defend as lawyers in Madrid
Tampering with a private contract is not the same as tampering with a public deed or a commercial invoice. The Criminal Code (CP) clearly distinguishes each case, and this leads to very different penalties.
Forgery of a public, official or commercial document
Deeds, an official document such as an administrative decision, or a commercial document such as an invoice, promissory note or cheque. A private individual who forges these faces imprisonment and a fine (article 392); if a public official does so, the penalties increase and include disqualification from public office.
Forgery of a private document
Contracts between private individuals, receipts or a company’s internal documents. Here the offence requires acting with intent to harm another party (article 395), a nuance that often opens up defense strategies when that intent to harm does not exist.
False certificates and forgery by professionals
Medical or professional certificates issued in breach of the truth. The Criminal Code (CP) gives these separate treatment in articles 397 to 399.
24-hour assistance if you face an accusation of documentary forgery
Tel. 681 256 507 · [email protected]
What makes us different in your documentary forgery defense
We are not a general-practice firm. This is what we bring when you are accused of documentary forgery:
Our own expert evidence
We commission our own handwriting and forensic document analysis to challenge the prosecution’s report, not merely dispute it.
A single lawyer
You are guided from start to finish by a lawyer registered with the Madrid Bar Association (ICAM), not a paralegal or a different lawyer each day.
A criminal and financial perspective
We look at the whole case, not the document in isolation: forgery is almost always the instrument of another offence, such as fraud, misappropriation or other economic crimes and corporate offences.
Privately instructed counsel
We work by private instruction, not court appointment, with genuine availability by phone and WhatsApp, and a payment plan if cash flow is an issue.
Urgent defence in response to a summons or a complaint for document forgery
Receiving a summons as an investigated party does not mean you have been convicted. It means there is an open case and that you need to act methodically. This is what we do with you from the very first call:
We take your call.
You tell us about the case and we review the summons or the complaint and which document is being called into question.
We advise you on what to state.
We prepare your statement and decide what documentation to submit and what to hold back.
We review the documentation.
We analyse the disputed documents and any expert evidence already in the case file.
We consider expert evidence.
If appropriate, we propose our own handwriting or forensic document examination before you give your statement.
We defend you throughout the entire proceedings.
We stand by you during the investigation and the trial, with the same lawyer from start to finish.
If you haven’t been summoned yet but fear that a complaint is going to be filed against you, that is the best time to speak to a lawyer. Getting ahead of the complaint is almost always in your favour.
The offence of document forgery under the Criminal Code
The offence of document forgery is regulated under articles 390 to 399 CP, within economic criminal law. Article 390 sets out the forms of document falsification: altering a document, fabricating it entirely, falsely representing the involvement of people who did not take part in an act, or attributing to them statements different from what they actually said. Document forgery offences do not require the false document to actually be used: the act of falsifying it can already be punishable depending on the type of document and the offender. What the law protects is the security of legal transactions — the trust that a document tells the truth. The key to the case usually lies in two questions: what kind of document has been falsified, and who did it.
Document analysis and handwriting expert evidence before the first statement
In document forgery cases, expert evidence carries significant weight. Handwriting analysis and forensic document examination decide a good deal of these proceedings: whether a signature is genuine, whether a document was altered after being signed, whether the dates add up. Before your first statement, we review all the documentation in the case file and assess whether it is worth commissioning our own expert report. Giving a statement without having first studied the documents is one of the most costly mistakes made in this type of offence.
24-hour assistance if you are accused of document forgery
Tel. 681 256 507 · [email protected]
Penalties and consequences of a conviction for document forgery
The penalties depend on the type of document. Forgery of a public, official or commercial document committed by a private individual is punishable by six months to three years’ imprisonment and a fine (article 392 CP); when committed by an authority or public official, the penalty rises to three to six years’ imprisonment, a fine and disqualification. Forgery of a private document carries a lighter penalty, but it remains an offence with a criminal record. Throughout the entire criminal proceedings, we work towards achieving the best possible outcome the case allows: dismissal, acquittal or, where the evidence is overwhelming, a reduction in liability.
Document forgery lawyers before the courts and tribunals of Madrid
We regularly appear before the Examining Courts of Plaza de Castilla, the Criminal Courts of Madrid and the Provincial Court of Madrid. Knowing the court and its way of working provides no guarantees, but it does allow us to anticipate deadlines, hearing dates and the best way to approach each submission.
Frequently asked questions about defence for document forgery in Madrid
I have been summoned as under investigation for document forgery. What should I do?
Do not give a statement without a lawyer and do not submit documents on your own. Speak with a criminal defense lawyer before the date of the summons to prepare your statement and decide on the strategy.
Does document forgery always lead to prison?
Not always. The sentence depends on the type of document, on whether you are a private individual or a public official, and on the circumstances of the case. In many cases the defense seeks dismissal or acquittal, and in others a reduction of the sentence.
What is the difference between a public document and a private document?
A public or official document is authorised by a notary or public official or by the Administration (deeds, official rulings, commercial invoices). A private document is one signed between private individuals. Forgery of a public document carries harsher penalties.
I signed a document with inaccurate information, but I didn't intend to harm anyone. Is this a crime?
For a private document, the offence requires intent to harm another person. Whether or not that element exists can be decisive for your defense, which is why it needs to be analysed case by case.
Can I defend myself if the forgery is linked to a fraud offence?
Yes. The relationship between the forgery and the alleged deception is usually one of the points where the defense can work hardest. The case as a whole is analysed.
Our office at Goya 20, Madrid
Estudio Jurídico Cervantes & Gª-Escribano
You will find us at Calle Goya 20, 1st Floor Left (28001 Madrid), in the Salamanca district. We attend clients from all over Madrid and the Henares Corridor, and we can meet at the office to review your documentation calmly. For emergencies, we are available 24 hours a day at 681 256 507.
- Calle Goya 20, 1st Floor Left · 28001 Madrid
- 681 256 507 · 24 hours, every day
- [email protected]
- Monday to Friday · 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (assistance to detainees 24/7)
Talk today with a document forgery lawyer in Madrid
If you have been summoned or your documents have been requested, do not give a statement without preparing your defense. Call 681 256 507, message us on WhatsApp, or tell us about your case and we will call you. You will be attended by the lawyer who will handle your defense.
