Frequently Asked Questions

A Court Procurator is a legal professional, a law graduate, whose main function is the technical and legal representation of their client before Courts and Tribunals. They act as a link between the citizen, the lawyer, and the judicial body to ensure the correct and agile development of the proceedings.

The lawyer directs the legal strategy and the legal defense. The procurator exercises procedural representation: monitors deadlines, submits pleadings, receives judicial notifications via LexNET, and transfers information to the lawyer and the client immediately.

The intervention of a procurator is mandatory in most proceedings in the civil, criminal (in certain phases), administrative, and social jurisdictions. There are exceptions for certain small claims verbal trials or specific procedures.

While in common practice it is the lawyer who recommends and arranges the appointment of the procurator, the procedural representation relationship is always established between the procurator and the client. This means the client is the one who grants the power of attorney and who, ultimately, authorises the procurator's actions before the courts in Barcelona. Aparicio Procuradores works with full transparency and accessibility, whether the engagement comes through a law firm or from a private individual contacting us directly.

Yes, it is possible to consult with and engage a procurator before having an appointed lawyer. Although both roles are typically needed in most proceedings, the procurator can guide you on whether procedural representation is required and advise on initial steps. At Aparicio Procuradores, we receive direct enquiries from individuals and companies still assessing their legal situation. If following the consultation you also need a lawyer, we can refer you to specialist solicitors in our network.

Yes. The procurator's procedural representation covers virtually all areas of law. In eviction proceedings, the procurator is typically mandatory for the property owner when litigating before Barcelona courts. In contested divorces it is also required. In inheritances requiring a judicial declaration of heirs or a partition trial, the same applies. And in mortgage foreclosures, the procurator of the bank or the debtor intervenes at every stage of the proceedings. Aparicio Procuradores has extensive experience across all these areas.

Yes. The procurator plays a role in criminal proceedings at specific stages — particularly when there is a formal appearance by a party, whether as private prosecutor, popular prosecution or defence, before the Investigating Courts (Juzgados de Instrucción) or Criminal Courts (Juzgados de lo Penal) in Barcelona. The requirement depends on the type of proceeding (oral trial, preliminary proceedings, appeal), the court involved and the client's procedural position. At Aparicio Procuradores we handle procedural representation in criminal cases across Barcelona and the province: from the initial appearance through to monitoring every stage, with direct coordination with the lawyer and immediate forwarding of all notifications.

If you have received a court summons or judicial notification, the first thing to do is not ignore it: procedural deadlines are strict and missing them can have serious consequences. Consult a lawyer immediately to assess the type of proceeding and whether a procurator is required. At Aparicio Procuradores we can advise you — without obligation — on whether your case requires a procurator in Barcelona, and help you organise the necessary steps as quickly as possible.

The power of attorney for legal proceedings is the legal document that authorises the procurator to act on behalf of the client before courts and tribunals. There are two ways to grant it: through a notarial power of attorney, formalised before a notary and valid for all proceedings specified therein, or through an apud acta power, granted directly before the court clerk (Letrado de la Administración de Justicia) at the start of the proceedings, free of charge and without needing a notary. At Aparicio Procuradores we advise you on which option best suits your situation and handle the process swiftly.

A general notarial power of attorney for legal proceedings has no predetermined expiry under the law: it remains valid until expressly revoked by the grantor. However, some notarial powers may limit their scope to a specific proceeding as stated in the deed. The apud acta power, on the other hand, is tied to the proceeding for which it was granted and expires when the proceeding ends. In any case, if the procurator ceases in their role or the client revokes the power, it becomes void and a new procedural representative must be appointed before the Barcelona courts.

The documentation required varies depending on the chosen method. For a notarial power of attorney, you will generally need to present your valid national ID or passport before the notary, who will draft the deed of powers. If the grantor is a company or legal entity, the articles of association and details of the legal representative will also be required. For an apud acta power, you simply attend court with your identity documents and the court clerk will formalise the power within the file itself. Aparicio Procuradores will tell you exactly what you need in each case to streamline the process.

Yes, it is possible to change procurator during a proceeding, although the process requires following certain formal steps to ensure continuity of procedural representation without jeopardising the case. The new procurator must appear before the court, submitting the corresponding power of attorney and giving notice of the substitution. The previous procurator is released from their obligations from that point, though they may be entitled to claim fees accrued to date. At Aparicio Procuradores we facilitate these transitions with the utmost discretion and efficiency, ensuring no deadlines are missed during the change.

We offer integral and agile procedural management for law firms, companies, and individuals.

• Daily representation and monitoring of proceedings at all instances.
• Electronic submission of pleadings and lawsuits via LexNET.
• Exhaustive control of deadlines and court dates.
• Immediate receipt and transfer of judicial resolutions to the lawyer and the client.
• Processing of judicial requests, warrants, and official notices.
• Management in Public Registries and Administrations.
• Assistance at evictions and judicial auctions.

We perform daily and immediate management of proceedings with legal technology for deadline control and secure communication via LexNET, maintaining continuous coordination with the law firm.

We provide services in Barcelona city and in the main judicial districts of the province.

• Badalona
• Barcelona
• Cerdanyola
• Cornella
• El Prat de Llobregat
• Esplugues
• Gava
• Granollers
• L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
• Mollet
• Rubi
• Sabadell
• Sant Boi
• Sant Feliu de Llobregat
• Santa Coloma de Gramenet

Aparicio Procuradores operates in all courts in Barcelona city — Civil, Criminal, Social, Administrative, Commercial, and Family courts — as well as Peace and First Instance courts in the main judicial districts of the province: Badalona, Cornellà, Granollers, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Mataró, Sabadell, Sant Boi, Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Terrassa, and Vilafranca del Penedès, among others. Our presence across Barcelona's courts and province allows us to provide an immediate response for any procedural step.

To a large extent, yes. The digitisation of the justice system, primarily through LexNET and the Electronic Court Portal, means that many procedural tasks — submission of pleadings, receipt of judicial notifications, transfer of rulings — can be carried out electronically. At Aparicio Procuradores we have adapted our operations so that clients from anywhere in Spain can engage us and communicate remotely. The granting of power of attorney can be arranged via an apud acta power before a Barcelona court, or through a prior notarial power of attorney. Only certain in-person actions before the court require a physical appearance.

The procurator assumes all the formal procedural representation tasks before the court. This includes filing the claim and all pleadings, receiving and acknowledging judicial notifications via LexNET, forwarding any court ruling to the lawyer, requesting copies of proceedings, managing hearing dates, processing judicial letters of request to other courts, attending auctions and evictions where applicable, and safeguarding the case documentation. At Aparicio Procuradores we carry out each of these tasks with the highest diligence and in the shortest time possible.

You can contact us by phone, email, or web form. We analyze the type of proceeding, jurisdiction, and competent court to offer a detailed and no-obligation quote, adjusted to the official fee scale and complexity of the matter.

Yes. Fees are regulated by an official fee scale (Arancel), although in certain cases there is freedom of agreement. In our firm, we apply total transparency and competitive rates within the current regulatory framework.

If the intervention is mandatory and no procurator is designated, the Court may require rectification and, in extreme scenarios, cause suspension or nullity of proceedings, with the consequent delay of the case.

The procurator's fees are paid by the client who has engaged them, whether an individual, a company, or a law firm. The amount is calculated in accordance with the official procurator fee scale (arancel), which sets tariffs based on the type of proceeding and its economic value. At the outset of the matter, a funds advance (provisión de fondos) is usually requested to cover initial procedural costs. If at the conclusion of proceedings the opposing party is ordered to pay legal costs, the procurator's fees may be claimed from them. If legal aid has been granted, the State covers the cost of the court-appointed procurator.

If the client fails to provide the requested funds advance or stops meeting payments agreed with the procurator, the procurator may exercise their right to withdraw from the proceedings, notifying both the court and the client. This does not immediately halt the case, but requires a new procurator to be appointed to ensure continued procedural representation. It is important to address such situations as soon as possible to avoid missing any deadlines. At Aparicio Procuradores we always aim to resolve these situations through dialogue and practical solutions.

Yes. If you have been granted the right to free legal assistance through the Barcelona Bar Association, you are entitled to be assigned a court-appointed procurator at no cost to you. This procurator is designated by the Barcelona College of Procurators in accordance with the established rotas. The fees are covered by the State. If your financial situation improves in the future, the authorities may require repayment of costs incurred. At Aparicio Procuradores we also handle matters involving legal aid recognition.

The assessment of costs is the judicial procedure by which the exact amount of legal expenses that the losing party must pay to the winning party is determined. It includes the lawyer's fees, the procurator's entitlements under the official fee scale, and other accredited expenses. The procurator plays an active role: they submit their fee note to the court, defend its amount if challenged by the opposing party, and work with the lawyer to have the assessment approved as quickly as possible. Aparicio Procuradores manages this process with precision — it can result in recovering significant sums for the client.

Unlike national court fees (abolished for individuals since 2015), Catalonia has a regional court fee regulated by the Catalan Government's Law on Taxes and Public Prices. This fee applies to certain civil proceedings in Catalonia and must be paid before submitting certain documents to Barcelona courts. The procurator assists with this: informing the law firm or the client on whether it applies to their case, processing the payment, and attaching the proof of payment to the relevant submission. At Aparicio Procuradores we ensure this formality is no obstacle to the progress of your case.

At Aparicio Procuradores we maintain active and constant communication with both the client and the case lawyer. Each time we receive a notification from the court via LexNET, we immediately forward its contents by email or via the agreed channel. We also notify you of any relevant ruling, hearing date, or court order that affects the development of the proceedings. We don't wait for you to ask — we proactively keep you informed. We are also always available to answer any questions about the status of your case at the Barcelona courts.

Judicial notifications reach the procurator via LexNET instantly and electronically. At Aparicio Procuradores we have an immediate forwarding protocol in place: as soon as we receive and process a notification — typically the same day or, at the latest, the next business day — we communicate it to the lawyer and the client. This is especially critical when the notification triggers a procedural deadline running from that moment, such as the time limit to appeal a ruling or file a defence.

Procedural deadlines arising from a judicial notification are, in most cases, non-extendable. If the lawyer or client fails to act in time after a notification received by the procurator, serious consequences may follow: from preclusion of the procedural step — preventing that action from being taken — to a declaration of default, the finalisation of a ruling, or the loss of an appeal. At Aparicio Procuradores we alert you immediately and proactively to every notification, always indicating the deadline available to act, so that no term goes unmet due to lack of information.

Aparicio Procuradores processes its clients' personal data in full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Spanish Organic Law on Data Protection and Digital Rights Guarantee (LOPDGDD). Data is used solely for the management of the procedural representation entrusted to us and is not shared with third parties except where legally required or necessary for the proceedings themselves. All sensitive communications are conducted through secure channels. The firm also applies the necessary technical and organisational measures to prevent unauthorised access or misuse of client information.