Pardon Application Lawyer in Madrid
If you have a final criminal conviction, a pardon is the route to have your sentence fully or partially forgiven. It is not automatic: it only succeeds when there are well-documented reasons of justice, fairness or public interest, not generic ones. We first assess whether your case is viable, draft the petition and coordinate all the supporting documentation (medical, employment, social and prison reports). Office at Goya 20, Madrid. 24-hour assistance: 681 256 507.
Specialist pardon application lawyers in Madrid
We are pardon lawyers in Madrid and we handle individual pardon applications before the Ministry of Justice and the Council of Ministers. A pardon is an exceptional remedy: that’s why the first thing we do is honestly assess whether your case has real prospects before filing it. These are the key points of the procedure and the defence:
Other practice areas related to pardons that we handle in Madrid
A pardon often overlaps with other areas: prison law if you are serving your sentence, sentence enforcement if other options are still available, and assistance to the detained. These are the areas we also handle, each with its own page.
When the applicant is serving a sentence in a prison facility and the pardon is coordinated with prison planning (open regime, parole).
- LOGP and Prison Regulations
- The firm's prison law services
- Open regime and parole
- Ordinary and extraordinary release permits
When the conviction is final but other enforcement options are still available (suspension under art. 80 CP, substitution under art. 84 CP) in addition to a pardon.
- Regulations under arts. 80-94 CP
- Suspension of enforcement (art. 80 CP)
- Substitution of the sentence (art. 84 CP)
- Consolidation of sentences (art. 76 CP)
Legal assistance to a detained person is an essential safeguard of criminal proceedings (art. 520 LECrim) where a new arrest occurs during the processing of a pardon.
- Nationwide geographic coverage
- The lawyer's action at the police station
- Private interview before making a statement
- The firm's 24-hour direct line
When it is appropriate to apply for a pardon
A pardon makes sense when one of the following circumstances is present:
- Disproportion between the sentence and the actual conduct, assessed with perspective.
- Subsequent legal reform that reduces the sentence and cannot be reviewed through any other route.
- Humanitarian reasons: serious illness, advanced age, family responsibilities that no one else can attend to.
- Proven rehabilitation: stable employment, family ties, no reoffending, good conduct.
- A sentence that has lost its purpose: service already well advanced or circumstances that make what remains pointless.
- Impact on third parties: minors or dependants in your care.
24-hour assistance for arrests, summonses and urgent committals
Tel. 681 256 507 · [email protected]
How an individual pardon application is processed
Preliminary viability analysis of the case file
We review the judgment, your criminal record and your personal circumstances to give you a realistic assessment. If there is no viability, we tell you: we do not file petitions destined for rejection.
Drafting the petition to the Ministry of Justice
We draft the petition to the Ministry of Justice, grounded in justice, equity or public interest, with each argument tied to specific evidence, not generic claims.
Gathering supporting documentation
We coordinate the supporting documentation: medical and psychological reports, employment history, children’s school records, reports from the prison. Order and completeness are decisive.
Administrative processing by the Ministry of Justice
The case file passes through the sentencing court, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and, where applicable, the victim and the prison. Anticipating their objections is the key defensive task.
Decision by the Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers decides, and signs the pardon if granted. The decision is discretionary, and the strength of the petition and the supporting reports is what makes the difference.
Publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE) of the royal decree of pardon
If granted, the pardon is published in the BOE and takes effect from that moment, with its rulings on the criminal record.
Suspension of sentence enforcement while the pardon is being processed
Filing a pardon petition does not, by itself, suspend enforcement of the sentence. But the court may order a precautionary suspension when there are exceptional reasons:
- The sentence: its nature and the time remaining to be served.
- Your personal situation: serious illness, advanced age, family responsibilities.
- Likelihood of the pardon being granted: when the petition has solid grounds for success.
It must be requested with specific documentary evidence, and we work on this from the outset.
24-hour assistance for arrests, summonses and urgent detentions
Tel. 681 256 507 · [email protected]
24-hour assistance for detainees, every day of the year
We answer the call, travel to the police station and take on the defense from the very first minute. Madrid city, the Henares Corridor and the whole of Spain. The line is answered by a lawyer from the firm, not by an external answering service.
Frequently asked questions about pardons in Madrid
If your question isn’t here, write to us: we respond within 24 working hours and always in confidence.
Can any conviction be pardoned?
Yes, except those excluded by special laws (certain offences against the Constitution and terrorism offences in specific cases). The grant is at the discretion of the Council of Ministers, which weighs the reasons invoked and the mandatory reports. In the first consultation we review this for your specific case.
How long does the procedure take?
Standard processing usually takes between one and two years from filing. The timeframe varies depending on the Ministry’s workload, the complexity of the case file, and the reports from the court and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. We determine this during the initial assessment of the case.
Can I apply for a pardon if the judgment is not yet final?
No. A pardon can only be granted for a final judgment. While the judgment is pending appeal or cassation, the request cannot be filed. Before any appearance, it is advisable to review the matter with the firm.
Does it make sense to request a pardon if the judgment is recent?
Viability depends on the grounds invoked (justice, equity or public interest), not on the time elapsed since the judgment. However, premature requests without a proven supervening cause are usually rejected. If you have a similar matter, book a confidential first meeting.
Does a pardon erase your criminal record?
A pardon extinguishes criminal liability, but the record may remain until it is cancelled under the standard time limits (arts. 136 et seq. CP). The royal decree granting the pardon may also include the dismissal of the register entries in specific cases. At the first consultation we will confirm whether your case falls within that scope.
Firm's office at Goya 20, Madrid
We attend clients right in the city centre, next to the Goya metro station. Consultations are held in person, by phone or by videoconference, always with dedicated attention to your matter and under strict professional secrecy.
Estudio Jurídico Cervantes & Gª-Escribano
Book an initial assessment or call the firm directly. We offer in-person consultations at Goya 20, as well as by phone and videoconference, always with the confidentiality inherent to professional practice.
- 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 (24/7 assistance for detainees)
Why choose a pardon lawyer in Madrid based on a viability analysis
A pardon is decided before it is even filed: in the honest assessment of its viability, in how the petition is reasoned, and in how the sentencing court’s objections are anticipated. As pardon lawyers in Madrid, we take on your case from the very first call. We serve clients in Madrid city, the Henares Corridor and throughout the whole country.
