Criminal Defence · Latvia
Facing a theft allegation? Find a theft lawyer in Latvia
Latvian criminal cases run in Latvian, under the Criminal Procedure Law, and only a sworn advocate practising in Latvia can act as your defence counsel. Describe your situation and we match you free of charge with an advocate whose practice covers criminal defence. You decide whether to instruct.
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Why this page
Defence in a Latvian theft case, explained clearly
If you are under investigation, have been charged, or have received a summons in connection with a theft allegation in Latvia, the first steps you take shape everything that follows. Latvian criminal procedure is codified in the Criminal Procedure Law, and in criminal proceedings a defence counsel must be an advocate practising in Latvia — a sworn advocate or an assistant of a sworn advocate. A lawyer qualified only in another country cannot represent you there. Our service is a free matching platform: you tell us what happened, and we connect you with a theft lawyer in Latvia whose work covers your situation, whether your case sits at the investigation stage, before a district court, on appeal, or at cassation before the Senate. You pay nothing to be matched.
Latvia in practice
How criminal and related proceedings work in Latvia
Latvia is a civil law jurisdiction, and procedure is codified separately from substantive law. For a theft allegation, the Criminal Procedure Law governs the case, while the Civil Procedure Law, the Civil Law and the Law on Judicial Power frame the courts and any related civil claims. Here are the points that matter most in practice.
Three court instances
Court structure is set by the Law on Judicial Power. A theft case starts in a district (city) court as the first instance; a regional court hears appeals against first-instance judgments; the Supreme Court (Senate) is the cassation instance and decides collegially in a composition of three Senators. Cassation is a review of legality, not a third full trial of the facts.
Who may act as defence counsel
In criminal proceedings a defence counsel must be an advocate practising in Latvia — a sworn advocate or an assistant of a sworn advocate (Criminal Procedure Law, Section 79). Advocates are admitted to the Latvian Council of Sworn Advocates, take the advocate’s oath and are bound by the Code of Ethics of Latvian Sworn Advocates. A lawyer qualified only abroad cannot serve as your defence counsel.
When defence counsel is mandatory
Participation of a defence counsel is mandatory in the cases listed in Section 83 of the Criminal Procedure Law, including where a minor or a person with diminished mental capacity holds the right to defence, where compulsory measures of a medical nature are determined, where a person cannot fully use procedural rights because of a health impairment, and where the person is illiterate or has a limited level of education. Without an agreement on defence, the State ensures counsel through the senior of the sworn advocates of the relevant territory.
Everything happens in Latvian
Court proceedings in Latvia are conducted in the official language, Latvian. A document drawn up in a foreign language must be filed together with a translation into Latvian (Civil Procedure Law, Section 13), and the same principle runs across the court system. For foreign parties this makes Latvian-speaking counsel and dependable translation essential in practice; interpreters may be used where the law provides for them.
Fees, and help if you cannot pay
Latvia sets no State tariff for advocates’ fees: they are agreed between the advocate and the client. Where a person holds low-income or needy status, faces a sudden situation preventing them from protecting their rights, or is fully maintained by the State or a local government, State ensured legal aid may be available under the State Ensured Legal Aid Law. It is administered by the Legal Aid Administration and can be refused on the grounds listed in Section 6.
Short, strict procedural deadlines
Criminal procedure works to tight time limits. Complaints about decisions of an investigator, a prosecutor or rulings of a judge or court are generally submitted within 10 days, and an appeal against a first-instance judgment in a criminal case within 10 working days, which the court may extend to 20 working days. Because these periods run quickly, involving counsel early protects your position.
Key time limits — Criminal Law
| Matter | Time limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints about decisions of an investigator, a prosecutor or rulings of a judge or court in criminal proceedings | 10 days | The route for challenging procedural decisions during a criminal case. |
| Appeal against refusal to accept an appellate complaint in criminal proceedings | 10 days | A separate short period for contesting that refusal. |
| Appeal (apelācija) against a first-instance judgment in criminal proceedings | 10 working days (extendable by the court to 20 working days) | Calculated in working days, with a possible court extension. |
All country-specific statements on this page are taken from official Latvian sources published on likumi.lv and from the Latvian Council of Sworn Advocates, consulted in 2025.
The pressure points
What makes a theft case in Latvia hard to handle alone
The procedural rules are codified, the language is Latvian, and the deadlines are short — three features that catch people out.
Nobody explains the procedure
The Criminal Procedure Law governs every step, from the first interview to a possible appeal. Without guidance you may answer questions or sign documents without understanding how they will be used later in the case.
The language barrier
Proceedings are conducted in Latvian and foreign-language documents must be filed with a translation. Instructions, witness statements and court rulings arrive in a language many clients do not read comfortably.
Deadlines pass quietly
Complaints against an investigator, a prosecutor or a court ruling generally carry a 10-day limit, and a criminal appeal 10 working days, extendable to 20. Once a period lapses, options narrow sharply.
How we help
Matched with a defence advocate who fits your case
We are not a law firm. We are a free matching service that puts your situation in front of advocates who practise in the area you need.
Only advocates who can act in Latvia
In criminal proceedings defence counsel must be a sworn advocate practising in Latvia or an assistant of a sworn advocate. We match you within that rule, so nobody wastes your time.
The right stage of the case
Whether you are at the investigation stage, awaiting a first-instance hearing at a district court, considering an appeal to a regional court, or a cassation complaint to the Senate, we look for counsel experienced at that point.
Clear on cost before you commit
Latvia sets no State tariff for advocates’ fees, so these are agreed between you and the advocate. You receive that information up front and decide freely whether to instruct.
Free and without obligation
Describing your case and receiving a match costs you nothing. There is no subscription and no charge for the introduction, whether or not you go on to instruct an advocate.
Cross-border cases
Clients who contact us about Latvian cases
Many people facing a theft allegation in Latvia live elsewhere in Europe. If your case is in Riga, Daugavpils, Liepāja, Jelgava, Jūrmala, Ventspils, Rēzekne, Ogre, Valmiera or Jēkabpils, we can still start the matching process remotely.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about theft cases in Latvia
Can a foreign lawyer represent me as a theft lawyer in Latvia?
No. In criminal proceedings the defence counsel must be an advocate practising in Latvia — a sworn advocate or an assistant of a sworn advocate, under Section 79 of the Criminal Procedure Law. A lawyer qualified only in another country cannot act as your defence counsel, although they may coordinate with Latvian counsel behind the scenes.
When must I have a defence counsel in a Latvian criminal case?
Participation of defence counsel is mandatory in the situations listed in Section 83 of the Criminal Procedure Law, for example where a minor or a person with diminished mental capacity holds the right to defence, where compulsory measures of a medical nature are determined, where a health impairment prevents full use of procedural rights, or where the person is illiterate or has a limited level of education.
How long do I have to appeal a criminal judgment in Latvia?
An appeal (apelācija) against a first-instance judgment in criminal proceedings must be submitted within 10 working days, and the court may extend that period to 20 working days. Complaints about decisions of an investigator, a prosecutor or rulings of a judge or court are generally submitted within 10 days.
Will the State pay for my defence in Latvia?
State ensured legal aid is available to natural persons under the State Ensured Legal Aid Law, for example those holding low-income or needy status, those in a sudden situation preventing them from protecting their rights, or those fully maintained by the State or a local government. It is administered by the Legal Aid Administration and can be refused on the grounds listed in Section 6.
Do Latvian courts work in English?
No. Court proceedings are conducted in the official language, Latvian, and a document in a foreign language must be filed together with a translation into Latvian, as set out in Section 13 of the Civil Procedure Law. The same principle applies across the court system, so Latvian-speaking counsel and translation are essential in practice.
Which court will hear my case, and can it go further?
A theft case begins in a district (city) court as the first instance. A regional court acts as the appellate instance, and the Supreme Court (Senate) is the cassation instance, deciding collegially in a composition of three Senators. Cassation is a review of legality rather than a fresh examination of the facts.
Next step
Tell us about your case in a few minutes
Describe what happened, where in Latvia the case sits, and at which stage it has reached. We will match you with a theft lawyer in Latvia who handles this kind of defence, free of charge and with no obligation to instruct.