English-speaking criminal defence

Criminal lawyer on the Amalfi Coast.

I speak English. If you, a family member or a guest is involved in a criminal matter between Salerno and Positano, you can explain the situation to me directly and understand what happens next.

Call in English — +39 328 607 3439 Send a request WhatsApp

Typical situations

What usually brings visitors to a criminal lawyer.

Each guide explains the first steps. It does not replace a review of the documents you have received.

Arrest

Arrested or detained in Italy

Rights, timing of the validation hearing, consulate and family.

Drink-driving

Alcohol limits, criminal offences, licence and vehicle consequences.

Boating accidents and seized vessels

Injuries, Coast Guard reports and how to challenge a seizure.

Theft, robbery or fraud on holiday

Filing a complaint, deadlines and following the case from home.

Drug possession

Personal use or supply: administrative sanctions, criminal cases and passports.

Investment and crypto fraud

Fake platforms, blocked withdrawals and evidence to preserve.

After your stay

Going home while the case continues.

Most visitors cannot stay in Italy until a criminal case is over. In many cases this is not necessary: the proceedings can continue while you are abroad, provided you have been properly informed of them.

Notices can be sent to the address you declare for the case, which can be your lawyer’s office if the lawyer agrees. Your lawyer attends the hearings and, with a special power of attorney, can request certain procedures on your behalf, such as a plea agreement (patteggiamento).

Whether you may leave Italy depends on any measure ordered by the judge. This must be checked on the actual documents before you travel.

Your address in Italy

The address you give can decide the case.

If you do not live in Italy, the police or the prosecutor will ask you to declare or choose an address in Italy for documents about the case (domicilio), or a certified e-mail address. If you are already abroad, you may receive a letter giving you 30 days to do so. If you do not, or the address is not suitable, documents are served on your defence lawyer (artt. 161 and 169 c.p.p.).

Many visitors make this choice at a police station, under pressure and in a language they may not fully understand, and indicate the office of the court-appointed lawyer they have just been assigned. That choice has no effect unless the lawyer agrees (art. 162, comma 4-bis, c.p.p.). Either way, the case can go on with a lawyer you have never spoken to, while notices are served and deadlines run in Italy.

The Supreme Court has held that choosing the court-appointed lawyer’s office is not enough, on its own, to prove that the person knew about the trial: the judge must check that a real professional relationship existed (cfr. Cass. pen., Sez. un., n. 23948 del 28 novembre 2019; Cass. pen., Sez. VI, n. 19420 del 5 aprile 2022). It has also found that a foreign defendant who did not understand Italian, and whose choice of address had not been translated, could not be blamed for not knowing about the trial (cfr. Cass. pen., Sez. II, n. 36166 del 3 maggio 2017).

These are remedies after the damage is done. It is better to choose your lawyer and your address before you leave Italy.

How it works

Clear steps, in English.

From the first call to the end of the case, you receive explanations in English and copies of what matters.

First contact

Call or write in English. Explain what happened and which documents you have.

Documents

Reports, seizure records, notices or court papers are reviewed first. I indicate a confidential channel for sending them.

Written estimate

Before work starts you receive a written estimate distinguishing fees, expenses and other charges.

Appointment

If you are already abroad, the appointment can be made in writing. You are told exactly what to sign.

Updates

You are told what has happened and what comes next, in plain English.

Family abroad

Relatives can call directly. Confidentiality rules decide what can be shared and with whom.

Language

I speak English. The court interpreter is a separate right.

You can talk to me directly in English to explain your situation, ask questions and understand the documents you receive.

In the proceedings, Italian law guarantees suspects and defendants who do not understand Italian the free assistance of an interpreter and the translation of essential documents (art. 143 c.p.p.).

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Do you speak English?

Yes. I speak English, so you can explain the situation and ask questions directly.

Can you help if I have already left Italy?

Yes. Documents can be reviewed remotely and the appointment of a lawyer can be made in writing. Deadlines, however, keep running: send the documents as soon as possible.

I gave the court-appointed lawyer’s office as my address. What should I do?

Find out whether that lawyer agreed and whether notices have already arrived there. You can appoint a lawyer of your choice and communicate a new address for the case, in the forms required by law.

Can my family appoint a lawyer for me if I am in custody?

Yes. Until the arrested person does so, a close relative can appoint a defence lawyer (art. 96 c.p.p.).

Do I have to pay the court interpreter?

No. The interpreter for a suspect or defendant who does not understand Italian is provided free of charge (art. 143 c.p.p.).

Legal sources

Art. 96 c.p.p. - Appointment of a lawyer of choice (Normattiva)Art. 143 c.p.p. - Right to an interpreter and translation (Normattiva)Art. 386 c.p.p. - Duties of the police in case of arrest (Normattiva)

General information. It does not replace a review of the documents or advice on a specific case.

Contact

Tell me what happened.

Call or write in English. A useful assessment starts from the document you received: report, notice, seizure record or court order.

Call in English Send a request

Office in Piazza Umberto I, n. 1, 84121 Salerno, Italy. English-speaking criminal defence for visitors, residents and families abroad.