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derecho a abogado de oficio
/deˈɾetʃo a aβoˈɣaðo ðe oˈfiθjo/
right to court-appointed counsel
En España, toda persona tiene derecho a abogado de oficio si no puede costearse uno.
In Spain, everyone has the right to court-appointed counsel if they cannot afford one.
Law
formal
The legal right to a publicly funded lawyer when a defendant cannot afford private representation.
El juez le asignó un abogado de oficio porque no tenía recursos económicos.
The judge assigned him a court-appointed lawyer because he had no financial resources.
El derecho a abogado de oficio está garantizado en la Constitución española.
The right to court-appointed counsel is guaranteed in the Spanish Constitution.
Commonly abbreviated as 'abogado de oficio' in legal contexts. The term 'oficio' refers to the official duty of the state to provide legal aid.
Collocations
asignar un abogado de oficioto assign a court-appointed lawyersolicitar abogado de oficioto request court-appointed counselcarecer de recursos para un abogadoto lack resources to hire a lawyer
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Mistake
Do not confuse 'abogado de oficio' with a lawyer working pro bono. 'De oficio' specifically refers to court-appointed representation, not voluntary free service.
Gold Rule
Legal Context
In criminal cases, denying a defendant's right to court-appointed counsel may lead to a mistrial or appeal.
Word Origin
The phrase combines 'derecho' (right) + 'a' (to) + 'abogado' (lawyer) + 'de oficio' (by official duty). 'Oficio' derives from Latin 'officium' (duty, service), reflecting the state's obligation to provide legal representation.
Usage Notes
This right is enshrined in constitutional law across many Spanish-speaking countries, particularly in criminal cases. The process typically involves proving financial need to qualify.
Word Breakdown
derecho
right
roota
to
prepositionabogado
lawyer
rootde oficio
by official duty
phraseDiccionario Español-Inglés