Criminal
The 2005 Criminal Code with the Batllia as investigating court
Criminal law rests on the 2005 Codi penal and the Codi de procediment penal. The Batllia investigates and tries lesser offences, while the Tribunal de Corts hears serious cases and the Tribunal Superior hears appeals.
Key rules
- A batlle instructor conducts the investigation under judicial guarantees.
- The Tribunal de Corts has first-instance jurisdiction over serious offences.
- The death penalty is constitutionally abolished and the maximum sentence is imprisonment.
Governing law
- Codi penal (Llei 9/2005)
- Codi de procediment penal
Penalties and consequences
- Imprisonment, with statutory maxima well below life for most offences.
- Fines, expulsion of non-nationals and confiscation of proceeds.
In practice
Judges and prosecutors are frequently recruited from Spain and France, so cross-border judicial cooperation is routine in practice.