Spain — Which Court Keeps the Case Docket?

CRIMINAL CASES

✅ Primary Record Holder (Case Docket)

English: Investigating Court

Spanish: Juzgado de Instrucción

  • Opens the criminal case
  • Assigns the case number (número de procedimiento)
  • Maintains the original expediente
  • Holds:
    • Charges
    • Investigation records
    • Case history
    • Final disposition (linked)

Even if the trial occurs elsewhere, the original docket remains here.

Where the Trial Happens (But Not the Master Docket)

Trial Court Spanish Role

Criminal Court

Juzgado de lo Penal

Tries less serious crimes

Provincial Court

Audiencia Provincial

Tries serious crimes

These courts issue judgments, but the master case file stays with the Juzgado de Instrucción.

⚠️ Appeals Courts

  • Audiencia Provincial (on appeal)
  • Tribunal Superior de Justicia
  • Tribunal Supremo

Appeals courts do not hold the original docket — they hold appeal records only.

CIVIL CASES

✅ Primary Record Holder (Case Docket)

English: Court of First Instance

Spanish: Juzgado de Primera Instancia

  • Opens the civil case
  • Assigns the docket number
  • Maintains the official expediente
  • Holds:
    • Claims and defenses
    • Evidence
    • Judgments
    • Enforcement records

All appeals trace back to this court.

⚠️ Civil Appeals Courts

  • Audiencia Provincial
  • Tribunal Superior de Justicia
  • Tribunal Supremo

These courts keep appeal files, not the master docket.

SPECIAL CASE — NATIONAL COURT

National Court

Spanish: Audiencia Nacional

  • Acts as both investigating and trial court for:
    • Terrorism
    • Major organized crime
    • High-level financial crimes
  • Keeps the master docket itself

This is the only major exception.

ONE-LINE OPERATIONAL RULE (USE THIS)

In Spain, the official case docket is kept by the court of first instance that opened the case — not by appellate or supreme courts.

✔️ Screening & Compliance Implications

  • Searching only appellate courts = ❌ incomplete
  • Police certificates ≠ court docket
  • You must identify:
    • Correct Juzgado de Instrucción (criminal)
    • Correct Juzgado de Primera Instancia (civil)
  • Appeals do not replace first-instance searches