If you have been summoned to a minor-offence trial (juicio por delito leve) before the court in Vilanova i la Geltrú, there are six things to do in the first 48 hours: read the summons carefully (date, time, and in what capacity you are summoned), do not contact the other party, keep all your evidence, note down witnesses, post nothing on social media, and call a lawyer to find out your realistic scenario. A minor-offence trial is quick and decided at a single hearing: what you prepare now is what you will have on the day.
First, understand what the summons is
In Spain, a summons for a minor offence arrives in one of two ways. If the Mossos d’Esquadra or the local police summoned you directly after an incident (a fight, shoplifting, an argument with threats), it is an immediate trial (juicio inmediato): it takes place before the duty judge in Vilanova i la Geltrú within days, sometimes the same day. If the summons comes from the investigating court, it is an ordinary minor-offence trial, with a little more notice.
In both cases, check three things: the date and time, the court (number and address) and the capacity in which you are summoned: denunciado (accused), denunciante (complainant) or testigo (witness). Each has its own rights and duties. As the accused you may remain silent and bring a lawyer; as the complainant, your absence may be treated as a withdrawal for offences that depend on your complaint.
Hours 0 to 24: what to do today
- Photograph the summons and keep it.Every page, including the envelope or the notice of service with the date. You will need it for every step.
- Do not talk to the other party.Not by phone, not on WhatsApp, not through third parties. Any message can be produced at the hearing and, in cases of threats, become a new complaint.
- Post nothing on social media.No version of events, no photos, no comments about the other person. The courts in Vilanova see screenshots every day.
- Gather the evidence.Messages received, photos of injuries or damage, A&E medical reports, repair invoices, receipts, videos. If there are cameras (shop, bar, street), ask for the footage to be kept: it is deleted within days.
- Note the witnesses.Name and phone number of whoever saw what happened. At a minor-offence trial, witnesses come on the day; if they are not there, they do not testify.
- Call a lawyer.In a ten-minute call you will know whether your case is one to fight, to settle or to limit.
Hours 24 to 48: choose the strategy
At a minor-offence trial there are three routes: defend yourself to obtain an acquittal, reach an agreement with the other party before the hearing, or accept the facts and work to keep the fine and compensation to a minimum. The choice depends on the evidence, not on what feels fair.
With the evidence in hand, the lawyer assesses whether the complaint has any basis, whether the facts really amount to a minor offence at all, whether there is a legal defence (self-defence, prior provocation, mistake) and what the financial risk is (fine, compensation, costs). They also look at your situation: a criminal record, the need for an interpreter, a family link with the other party, residence abroad.
In many cases of minor injuries, damage or theft, a reparation agreement before the hearing changes the outcome: the victim recovers what they lost and withdraws the complaint or asks for a token penalty. We make the call and put the agreement in writing.
What happens on the day
The hearing is oral and short. The judge reads the complaint, hears the accused (who may stay silent), the complainant and the witnesses, examines the evidence produced, and the prosecutor and the parties sum up. In many courts the judgment is given on the spot or within days. An appeal must be filed within five days.
If you were properly summoned as the accused and do not attend, the hearing can go ahead without you. If you have a serious reason not to attend (illness, an unavoidable trip), a postponement must be requested in writing, with proof, before the hearing. For residents abroad we also check whether representation or a video link is possible.
Do you need a lawyer for a minor offence?
It is not compulsory, and precisely for that reason no duty lawyer is appointed. It is worth it when compensation is at stake, when you want an acquittal rather than a fine “to get it over with”, when you have a record or another case open, when the other party brings a lawyer, or when you do not master the court’s language (the interpreter translates; they do not advise). If convicted, you may also have to pay the other side’s legal costs. See our page on minor offences and immediate trials in Vilanova i la Geltrú.
A summons, a lawsuit or a deadline running?
Call now or message us on WhatsApp. Same-day reply and a fixed written quote within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
The hearing is tomorrow. Is it too late?
No. Call us today: we read the summons and your evidence and tell you whether to request a postponement or prepare the hearing in hours.
I have been summoned as a witness. Do I have to go?
Yes, a witness must attend and tell the truth. An unjustified absence can be fined.
Can I use WhatsApp messages as evidence?
Yes. Bring them printed, with the phone to show the original. If the other party disputes them an expert report is possible, but for a minor offence the phone is usually enough.
If I settle with the other party, does the trial end?
For minor offences prosecuted only on the victim’s complaint (most minor injuries, threats, coercion, damage), the complainant’s withdrawal or pardon usually ends the case. For the others, the agreement serves to reduce the penalty.
Does a minor offence give me a criminal record in Spain?
Yes, but it is cancelled six months after the sentence is served and does not appear in the certificate for sexual offences.