CRIMINAL LAW – DEFENCE

Criminal Defence Lawyers: Strategic Criminal Defence in Buenos Aires

Specialist criminal law team led by Dr. Jacobo Iván Selser. Technical defence and immediate assistance across Buenos Aires City (CABA), the Province of Buenos Aires and the Federal Courts.

If the matter is criminal, the urgent priorities are:

Make no statement without legal advice and without reviewing the case file.
Preserve evidence and avoid any communications that may prejudice you.
Act promptly in the event of arrest, a police search or a court summons / Indagatoria Hearing.

URGENT CALL (24 HRS) WHATSAPP (24 HRS)

Priority telephone attention for emergencies: arrests and police searches.

Court Summons / Indagatoria Hearing Search & Seizure Arrests — 24 hrs Restraining Orders

Situations in which you need a Criminal Defence Lawyer

1. Arrested / 24-Hour Emergency

Objective: securing release and oversight of the lawfulness of detention from the outset. We handle bail applications, release modifications and habeas corpus. The defence begins at the police station or custody centre.

GO TO IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2. Pre-trial Investigation / On Bail

Strategy for navigating the pre-trial investigation whilst at liberty: court summonses, Indagatoria Hearings, hearings, Suspension of Trial on Probation and plea agreements, according to jurisdiction and stage.

SEE CRIMINAL STRATEGY

3. Appeals & High-Complexity Cases

Technical defence grounded in legal doctrine (atypicality, justification, procedural nullities). Appeals and cassation to challenge pre-trial detention, precautionary measures, legal classifications and convictions.

SEE TECHNICAL DEFENCE

The Defence Approach Varies by Court Jurisdiction

Buenos Aires City (CABA)

Command of the Buenos Aires City Code of Criminal Procedure and flagrancy rules. Expertise in the workings of the PCyF prosecutors’ offices and courts, and the manner in which coercion and urgent measures are decided.

Province of Buenos Aires

Its own Code of Criminal Procedure and pre-trial investigation dynamics. Thorough understanding of procedural timelines, hearings and risk criteria applied by chambers and guarantee courts, particularly in Lomas de Zamora, Quilmes, Morón, La Matanza, San Martín, San Isidro and Avellaneda–Lanús.

National and Federal Courts

Litigation before national and federal oral courts (TOC/TOF). Defence in complex cases, with strategy focused on limiting coercive measures, challenging legal classifications and sustaining appellate arguments.

Defence at Review and Appeal Stage

Where an adverse decision has already been handed down — a conviction, pre-trial detention or the rejection of an application — we assess the prospects for review and devise the appropriate appellate strategy according to the stage and jurisdiction.

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This encompasses appeals, cassation, nullities and review, depending on the case.

Criminal Case Law Library

A curated collection of case law with rulings explained in plain language: drugs, robbery, homicide, sexual offences, harassment, gender-based violence, sentence enforcement, bail and procedural nullities. A practical guide to understanding what the courts have decided in comparable cases.

SEE CRIMINAL CASE LAW

Frequently asked questions about criminal defence

Do not attend or make any statement without legal advice. First, establish whether you are a witness or a defendant, and ask your defence counsel to review the case file before any hearing. In some cases, the wisest course is to remain silent until the evidence has been assessed. See the full Court Summons / Indagatoria Hearing guide.

Any documentation is helpful: copies of the complaint, court summonses, official records, witness details, medical reports and prior communications. If you have nothing to hand, we can request access to the case file, though the initial assessment will be more limited.

It depends on the case. Sometimes the wisest course is to remain silent until the evidence has been reviewed and evaluated. In other circumstances, a carefully prepared technical statement may change the course of the proceedings. That decision is made only after analysing the case file with your defence counsel.

The public defender plays an indispensable role, but tends to carry a heavy caseload. A private lawyer can devote more time to the case, commission independent expert reports and maintain a procedural strategy tailored to your specific situation.

It depends on the offence, the complexity of the evidence, the jurisdiction and any appeals. Some cases are resolved quickly; others are protracted. We seek to avoid unnecessary delays and to challenge arbitrary decisions that prolong proceedings.

Your defence begins now. Do not waste a moment.

Act before the prosecution advances unchecked. Confidential assessment and strategy tailored to your jurisdiction and stage of proceedings.

IMMEDIATE CONTACT (24/7) CRIMINAL OFFENCES GUIDES

Please note: If you are not the accused but the victim, and you wish to bring a criminal complaint as a private prosecutor, please visit the page dedicated to Victim Representation, where you will find all relevant information regarding victims’ rights and the role of the private prosecutor in criminal proceedings.