Legal defense

Castro Defense’s legal defense practice advises and represents individuals and companies in matters where their money, property, job or liberty is at stake. We serve clients across Mexico through an online process, coordinated with our digital forensics service when the evidence is digital. All matters are handled under Mexican law.

Police search, arrest warrant or asset seizure under way? Message us on WhatsApp or call +52 442 191 9461. We reply to urgent matters within 1 to 4 hours, every day from 6:00 am to midnight.

Matters we handle

• Bank disputes: unrecognized charges, card cloning, theft or fraud, and transfers you did not authorize.
• Land occupation claims: landowners and ejido members affected by pipelines, power lines or roads.
• Personal data and ARCO rights: access, rectification, cancellation or objection, complaints and damages for misuse of your data.
• Firearms law: registration, permits, licenses and defense in firearms-related proceedings.
• Armed forces: retirement, retirement pay, pensions, lump-sum compensation and other ISSFAM benefits.
• Wrongful dismissal: severance or reinstatement, back pay and filing deadlines.
• Retail workers: dismissals, unpaid overtime and time records at supermarket and retail chains.
• Communications interception: criminal complaint, evidence and forensic analysis if you suspect someone is intercepting your phone, email or calls.

Other practice areas

• Infrastructure projects. Comprehensive legal advice on developing infrastructure projects.
• Surface occupation and energy easements. Surface occupation (ocupación superficial) procedures and the creation of easements for oil, gas and electricity projects. If you own the land or hold ejido rights, see land occupation claims.
• Interception of private communications. Litigation and technical advice when someone intercepts your calls, messages or email, commonly called spying. See communications interception and our digital forensics service.
• Other matters. We also handle tax litigation, estates and inheritance, civil liability, family law and criminal cases.

How much do we charge? Our fee policy

Fees depend on whether the matter can bring you a financial benefit. In every case, the terms are set out in writing in the contract you review before signing, and no lawyer can guarantee the outcome.

Matters with a financial benefit: no upfront fees

When a matter can bring you money, or spare you a loss by winning it, we work with no upfront fees: we only get paid if we recover. We charge once that benefit materializes, as a percentage of the amount you recover, set by the complexity of the case. You cover only related costs, such as expert reports or supplies.

This usually applies to bank disputes, land occupation, personal data and ARCO rights, wrongful dismissal, retail-worker claims, military benefits, tax litigation, estates and inheritance, and civil liability.

Matters with no direct financial benefit: periodic and final payment

When a favorable result brings you no direct financial benefit, fees are a periodic payment plus a final payment, set case by case. This usually applies to firearms and related activities, family matters and most criminal cases.

Pro bono work

Depending on the case and the client’s circumstances, we may provide our services pro bono.

When will we reply? Hours and response times

We are available every day, Monday to Sunday, from 6:00 am to midnight (Mexico central time). Response times run in calendar hours, including weekends and holidays.

• Ordinary response: within 48 hours of receiving your form and any documents you attach. This applies to every matter that is not urgent.
• Urgent response: within 1 to 4 hours. This applies when your physical safety or assets, or those of people close to you, are at imminent risk. For example:
  • investigative measures by prosecutors, police or intelligence agencies, such as a search (cateo) or the interception of communications;
  • a summons to the initial hearing, an appearance order or an arrest warrant (National Code of Criminal Procedure, art. 141);
  • an asset seizure (embargo);
  • any step up to the order binding a suspect over for trial (auto de vinculación a proceso).

If the person is detained, Mexico’s Constitution allows 72 hours from the moment they are placed at the judge’s disposal to justify the detention with that order; only the suspect can ask for the period to be extended (art. 19). So in an urgent matter, message us on WhatsApp or call +52 442 191 9461 rather than waiting for a reply to the form.

How does it work? An online process

1. Case evaluation form. On each practice page, describe your case and, if you wish, upload your documents.
2. Document review. A lawyer reviews your information and tells you whether there appears to be a viable claim, what is missing and which deadlines apply. We reply within 48 calendar hours, or within 1 to 4 hours in urgent matters.
3. Contract and power of attorney signed online. You receive a PDF to sign with your e.firma (the advanced electronic signature issued by Mexico’s tax authority, SAT, formerly called FIEL) or another electronic signature. Mexican law recognizes consent given by electronic means (Federal Civil Code, art. 1803) and signatures through data messages attributable to the signer (Commercial Code, art. 93).
4. Case updates. We keep you informed at every step. Channel and frequency: channel and frequency of updates.

Some steps legally require a handwritten signature, witnesses, a notarized power of attorney or your personal attendance. For example, a worker must personally attend the labor conciliation hearing (Federal Labor Law, art. 684-E). If your case requires any of these, we will tell you before you sign.

Prefer a guided assessment?

For bank fraud, or for SEDENA’s permit to keep a firearm at home, answer six questions in about two minutes.

How to know you are dealing with real lawyers

• Names and licenses. Attorneys who handle cases: names and cédula profesional numbers.
• Check the license. Search the National Registry of Professionals of Mexico’s Ministry of Public Education (SEP) by name or license number.
• What the law requires. In criminal matters, defense counsel and a victim’s legal advisor must be law graduates or licensed attorneys with a cédula profesional (National Code of Criminal Procedure, arts. 110 and 115). In labor trials, lawyers must prove their license (Federal Labor Law, art. 692).
• Written fees and a privacy notice explaining what we do with your data.

Criminal defense and digital evidence

Mexico’s Constitution grants every suspect the right to an adequate defense by a lawyer of their choice, even from the moment of arrest (art. 20, section B). Under the National Code of Criminal Procedure (Código Nacional de Procedimientos Penales, CNPP), a suspect has the right, among others, to be treated as innocent, to remain silent without that being used against them, to be assisted by counsel at every step and to have a free interpreter if they do not speak Spanish (art. 113). Foreign detainees are entitled to consular assistance (art. 151). The suspect and counsel may review the investigation file (carpeta de investigación) once the suspect is detained, summoned as a suspect or asked for a statement (art. 218), and may ask the public prosecutor (Ministerio Público) to carry out investigative steps (art. 216).

When a case turns on messages, emails or files, three rules show why defense counsel and the forensic expert should work together:

• Evidence obtained in violation of fundamental rights is grounds for exclusion (CNPP, art. 264).
• Private communications may be submitted when one of the participants obtained them directly (art. 276).
• If an analysis cannot be repeated, the prosecutor must notify the defense so its expert can attend (art. 274).

If your question is about legally buying a firearm for home defense, see our SEDENA firearm permit service.

This content is for information only and is not legal advice for a specific case. The outcome of any proceeding depends on the facts, the evidence and the authority’s decision; Castro Defense does not guarantee results.

Official sources

• Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, arts. 19 and 20, section B. Chamber of Deputies (Spanish).
• National Code of Criminal Procedure, arts. 110, 113, 115, 141, 151, 216, 218, 264, 274 and 276. Chamber of Deputies (Spanish).
• Federal Civil Code, art. 1803, and Commercial Code, art. 93. Chamber of Deputies (Spanish).
• Federal Labor Law, arts. 684-E and 692. Chamber of Deputies (Spanish).
• National Registry of Professionals. Ministry of Public Education (Spanish).

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if I receive a summons from the Mexican public prosecutor?

Do not ignore it. Before attending, check with a lawyer in what capacity you are being summoned, for example as a witness or as a suspect. If you are summoned as a suspect, you have the right to be assisted by defense counsel, to speak with counsel privately beforehand and to remain silent without that being used against you (CNPP, art. 113).

I am a foreign national. What rights do I have if I am detained in Mexico?

In addition to the general rights of any suspect, you have the right to a free translator or interpreter if you do not understand or speak Spanish (CNPP, art. 113). If you are detained, the public prosecutor must inform you of your right to consular assistance, allow you to contact your embassy or consulate, and notify it of the detention unless you and your counsel expressly ask otherwise (art. 151).

How can I check that a Mexican lawyer is licensed?

Search the National Registry of Professionals run by Mexico's Ministry of Public Education (SEP) at cedulaprofesional.sep.gob.mx, using the lawyer's full name or professional license (cédula profesional) number. Check that the license is for a law degree and that the name matches the person signing your contract.

Can I hire a lawyer in Mexico without visiting an office?

Yes. Mexican law recognizes consent given by electronic means (Federal Civil Code, art. 1803) and signatures through data messages attributable to the signer (Commercial Code, art. 93). Some steps require a handwritten signature, a notarized power of attorney or your personal attendance; if your case needs them, we will tell you before you sign.

How much do you charge?

It depends on the matter. If it can bring you money or spare you a loss, such as bank fraud, land occupation or a dismissal, there is no upfront fee: we charge a percentage of what you recover, set by the complexity of the case, and only once that benefit materializes. You cover related costs such as expert reports. If a favorable result brings you no direct financial benefit, as in firearms, family and most criminal matters, fees are a periodic payment plus a final payment. Everything is set out in the written contract.

How quickly will you reply?

We are available Monday to Sunday, 6:00 am to midnight (Mexico central time). For ordinary matters we reply within 48 calendar hours of receiving your form and documents. For urgent matters, such as a police search, an arrest warrant or an asset seizure, we reply within 1 to 4 hours: message us on WhatsApp or call.

Do you take pro bono cases?

In some cases, yes. Depending on the matter and the client's circumstances, we may provide our services pro bono. Explain your situation in the case evaluation form.