Looking for an Italian criminal lawyer or Italian criminal defence solicitors in the UK? Have you been arrested in Italy or a victim of assault? Accused of drink driving or other related criminal offences?

Legal Law Limited has a team of experienced Italian criminal lawyers representing foreign nationals across Italy. Our on-the-ground Arabic, English, German and Spanish speaking lawyers are readily available to offer immediate assistance to non-Italian speakers at their time of distress. In Italy, it is not unusual to resolve a matter by negotiation with the relevant authorities in order to keep the matter out of court. We use our breadth of experience to reduce the seriousness of charges brought against clients who are at their most vulnerable in a foreign country.

In Italy, the criminal procedure is inquisitory, meaning the judge is involved in cross-examing the witnesses and gathering evidence as contrasted with the contentious or accusatory Anglo-American procedure where the judge is neutral and the prosecution and defence lawyers put forward the arguments for and against the defendant and a jury decides the outcome. In line with most continental countries, an investigating magistrate conducts an impartial judicial inquiry. Being a judicial officer, he is endowed with wide powers of arrest, preventive detention, search and seizure, etc., to aid him in his investigations. The results of his investigations, embodied in written documents, have a profound influence at the trial. The trial procedure, too, is essentially inquisitory in Italy.

Although the prosecutor and defines counsel are on hand to protect the interests they represent, they do not dominate the trial as they do in England and America. An Italian criminal trial is actually conducted by the presiding judge. He does most of the questioning. His duty is similar to that of the investigating magistrate; he must get at the real, facts in every case. He examines the witnesses, the experts, the accused, and does whatever is necessary to clear up the criminal charge.

Legal Law Limited’s criminal lawyers have represented clients at trial in a multitude of cases, including:

• manslaughter and serious sexual offences
• drug trafficking
• medical malpractice
• illegal immigration
• serious road traffic offences

Sky News, BBC Live and Reuters approached Legal Law Limited for their views at the time of the Amanda Knox murder trial and subsequent appeals.

Most people, should they come under the scrutiny of the police, believe that if they haven’t committed a crime and have done nothing wrong, that they will not go to prison. Unfortunately, this is not always true. Facts can often be ambiguous and equivocal. Innocent people do go to prison. It can happen to anyone, you, your friends or your family. If you are suspected of a crime, whether you are innocent or guilty, you need to contact a criminal defence attorney for help as quickly as possible, particularly if you are overseas, you will need to access legal assistance from lawyers in the country in which you are suspected of a crime who can also speak your language to ensure that you are properly informed and fully understand what is happening.

Our Italian Criminal Defence Department is ready to help you by providing both expert legal advice and specialist criminal defence services.

You do not have to proceed with a police interview or submit any other police procedures without representation of your solicitor. We offer:

• advice and assistance on criminal proceeding
• legal aid during questioning at the police station
• full legal representation at all court levels

All of our experienced lawyers’ unique intent is to protect the rights of the suspect.

If you require further information or assistance, please complete the on-line enquiry form here or email us at: [email protected].