Criminal defence · Denmark
Find a theft lawyer in Denmark who knows the criminal courts
Danish criminal cases begin in the district courts, where lay judges decide guilt and sentence alongside the professional judge. We match you, free of charge, with an advokat whose practice covers the offence you are facing.
- Advokater admitted to the Danish Bar
- Defence, suspect and victim representation
- Free matching with no obligation
Free matching · No obligation · Danish advokater only
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Criminal matters in Denmark
Why the adviser you choose matters from the first interview
Being suspected of theft in Denmark puts you inside a legal system that works differently from most. Criminal cases begin in the district courts, and lay judges sit alongside professional judges whenever a prison sentence may be imposed, deciding both guilt and sentence. Your first step is to speak to an advokat who knows how those courts operate and what the prosecution has to establish. We are a free matching service. Tell us briefly what happened, where your case stands and what you need, and we introduce you to a theft lawyer in Denmark whose practice covers your situation, whether you are a suspect, a defendant or a victim seeking compensation. No legal advice, no obligation, no cost to be matched.
Denmark in practice
How theft cases move through the Danish courts
Denmark is a unitary state in the civil-law Nordic tradition, and its criminal procedure is set out in statutes rather than a single code. Knowing which court will hear your matter, who sits on the bench and how the profession is regulated helps you judge the advice you are given.
The courts that hear theft cases
Criminal cases start at first instance in the 24 district courts (byretter), which also sit as probate, enforcement, land-registration and bankruptcy courts through specialised divisions. Appeals are heard by the Eastern High Court in Copenhagen or the Western High Court in Viborg, sitting in panels of three judges. The Supreme Court in Copenhagen is the final instance.
Lay judges decide guilt and sentence
Around 15,000 ordinary citizens serve as lay judges (lægdommere) in Danish criminal cases where a prison sentence may be imposed. They sit on an equal footing with professional judges on both guilt and sentence: a district court sits with two lay judges and one professional judge, a high court with three of each, and the most serious cases with six lay judges. The Supreme Court has none.
Defence counsel where a prison sentence is sought
In criminal cases where a custodial sentence is sought, the defendant is entitled to a defence lawyer, and assigned counsel is usually appointed and paid by the state. That appointment covers the criminal proceedings themselves. Many people also instruct an advokat of their own choosing, and if you are a victim or a business affected by a theft you can instruct one directly.
What the protected title ‘advokat’ guarantees
Only lawyers appointed by the Danish Minister of Justice may use the title ‘advokat’, and appointment carries automatic membership of the Danish Bar and Law Society (Advokatsamfundet). Admission requires a Danish law degree, at least three years of practical legal work and the mandatory advocate training under § 119 of the Administration of Justice Act. Calling yourself an advokat without appointment is a criminal offence.
How Danish criminal law is made and read
Denmark follows the civil-law tradition within the Nordic legal family. There is no single comprehensive code; the law rests on statutes such as the Administration of Justice Act (Retsplejeloven), interpreted with substantial weight given to preparatory works (forarbejder) and less weight to case law than in common-law systems. The Constitution (Grundloven, § 3 and § 64) establishes the separation of powers and the independence of the courts.
Fees, costs and free legal aid
Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed with no binding official tariffs, although the Danish Bar publishes guidelines. In civil litigation the losing party is as a general rule ordered to pay the winning party’s costs, as fixed by the court. Free legal aid (fri proces) can be applied for at the Civilstyrelsen where income does not exceed 404,000 DKK (single) or 513,000 DKK (couple), plus 70,000 DKK per child (2026).
All figures and procedural descriptions on this page are drawn from official Danish sources — the Danish courts, the Danish Bar and Law Society, Retsinformation, the Civilstyrelsen and the EU e-Justice portal — consulted in 2026.
- Danish Courts (Domstol) — official portal
- The Danish Bar and Law Society — Practising in Denmark
- e-Justice — National justice systems: Denmark
- Civilstyrelsen — Free legal aid (fri proces)
- Retsinformation — Limitation Act (Forældelsesloven)
- Retsinformation — Appeal deadlines
- Borger.dk — Complaint and appeal options in Denmark
- Familieretshuset — Separation and divorce
- Retsinformation — Salaried Employees Act
- MinRetssag — the Danish courts’ digital case portal
The problem in front of you
What makes a theft case in Denmark hard to navigate alone
Most people facing a theft allegation or investigating one have never been to a Danish court before. These are the three things that usually cause the most uncertainty.
You do not know what the charge means
A theft allegation can arrive as a police interview, a charge or a court summons. Without an advokat you may not know what the prosecution must establish, what the lay judges will weigh, or which documents actually matter.
You cannot tell qualified advokater apart
Denmark protects the title ‘advokat’, but the profession covers many fields. You need someone whose practice genuinely includes criminal cases and the courts where your matter will be heard, not a generalist who takes the brief.
Costs feel unpredictable
Danish lawyers’ fees are freely agreed rather than fixed by tariff, so quotes vary between firms. In civil cases the losing party generally pays the other side’s costs, which adds pressure. You want clarity on fees before you commit.
How we help
A free route to the right Danish advokat
We are not a law firm and we do not give legal advice. We do one thing: we connect your situation with practices that handle it.
Matched, not sold to
You describe your situation once. We compare it with advokater whose practices cover criminal defence in Denmark, and you decide whether to make contact. The matching itself costs nothing.
Advokater, not advisers
Every professional we introduce holds the protected Danish title of advokat and is a member of the Danish Bar and Law Society, so you know the person advising you is qualified and subject to disciplinary oversight.
Local court knowledge
Your case will be heard in one of the 24 district courts, and on appeal in the Eastern or Western High Court. We look for advisers who work in the courts and regions where your matter is actually being handled.
One contact point
Whether you are a suspect, a defendant or a victim, you explain your position once and we route it to the right practice area, so you are not passed between firms before anybody has read your file.
Across Europe
Danish advokater, and practices elsewhere in Europe
We work with advokater in Denmark and can also point you towards practices in these European countries when your matter crosses a border.
Questions clients ask
Theft matters in Denmark: frequent questions
What does a theft lawyer in Denmark actually do?
An advokat handling a theft matter in Denmark advises on the charge, deals with the police and the prosecution, prepares the case for the district court and appears at hearings. Where a custodial sentence is sought a defence lawyer is provided, but many people also instruct their own advokat for continuous advice and for related civil claims.
Am I entitled to a defence lawyer if I am charged with theft in Denmark?
Where a custodial sentence is sought, a defendant in a Danish criminal case is entitled to a defence lawyer, and assigned counsel is usually appointed and paid by the state. You can also choose and instruct an advokat yourself. The appointment is made for the criminal proceedings.
Who decides whether I am guilty in a Danish theft case?
In the district courts, where criminal cases begin, a professional judge sits with two lay judges (lægdommere) whenever a prison sentence may be imposed. The High Courts sit with three professional judges and three lay judges, and the most serious cases with six lay judges. Lay judges decide guilt and sentence on an equal footing.
Can a theft case in Denmark be appealed?
Criminal cases start in one of the 24 district courts. Appeals are heard by the Eastern High Court in Copenhagen or the Western High Court in Viborg, both sitting in panels of three judges. The Supreme Court in Copenhagen is the final instance and generally hears only cases admitted by the Appeals Permission Board.
In what language are Danish court cases conducted?
Danish is the language of the Danish courts, and proceedings are conducted in Danish. Your advokat corresponds with the court, the police and the prosecution on your behalf and can explain each step to you, but the documents you receive from the authorities will be in Danish.
How much does an advokat cost in Denmark, and is legal aid available?
Fees are freely agreed between you and the advokat; Denmark has no binding official tariffs, although the Danish Bar publishes guidelines. Free legal aid (fri proces) can be applied for at the Civilstyrelsen below the published income thresholds, but it is not available for purely administrative proceedings and a legal-expenses insurance covering the case normally bars a grant.
Next step
Tell us about your theft matter in Denmark
Describe what happened and what you need in a few lines. We will match you with a theft lawyer in Denmark whose practice covers your situation — free of charge and with no obligation to instruct anyone.