Politics · Spain · 15 hrs ago
PSOE delays giving judge records of lawyers hired from 2021 to 2025
Spain’s Socialist Party, the PSOE, has not yet given a judge records of its legal hires.
National Court judge Santiago Pedraz requested a full list of lawyers, law firms and consultants hired by PSOE bodies between 2021 and 2025.
He is investigating whether payments for some legal work were genuine or helped fund activities linked to former party worker Leire Díez.
The party says the information is spread across regional organisations and that election campaigning has slowed its response.
It has also asked Spain’s General Council of the Bar to advise whether sharing the records could breach lawyers’ professional confidentiality.
The PSOE says the records could reveal information about clients and legal work, while the judge’s request was for hiring details and checks that services were provided.
The party is seeking guidance before handing over the information, and no later submission date is stated.
The PSOE has asked for more time to provide a judge with records of lawyers and consultants it hired between 2021 and 2025.
The party says an election campaign has slowed the collection of the information and that disclosure could affect lawyers’ professional secrecy and other people’s rights.
Judge Santiago Pedraz had requested the records as part of an investigation into the “Cloacas” case.
He is seeking to establish whether payments to some lawyers were for legal services or were linked to funding the activities of Leire Díez.
The PSOE has asked the Spanish General Council of the Bar to clarify whether the requested information is covered by professional secrecy.
- Who
- The PSOE and National Court judge Santiago Pedraz.
- What
- The party has asked for more time to provide a list of lawyers, law firms and consultants it hired from 2021 to 2025.
- When
- The judge first requested the information on 6 October 2026 and renewed the request on Tuesday, giving the party 48 hours.
- Where
- The request was made at Spain’s National Court.
- Why
- Pedraz is investigating whether payments to some lawyers were for services actually provided or were linked to funding Leire Díez’s activities. The PSOE cites professional secrecy and difficulties collecting the records.
PSOE
Judge Santiago Pedraz
Disclosure of records
PSOE
The party says disclosure could affect lawyers’ professional secrecy and the rights of people outside the party.
Judge Santiago Pedraz
Pedraz requested a complete list of lawyers, firms and consultants hired by PSOE bodies between 2021 and 2025.
Timing
PSOE
The PSOE says the election campaign and the fact that records are not centralized have made an immediate response difficult.
Judge Santiago Pedraz
Pedraz renewed his request and gave the party 48 hours to provide the information.
Purpose of the request
PSOE
The party says it is consulting the General Council of the Bar to ensure the request is handled with safeguards.
Judge Santiago Pedraz
The judge wants to clarify whether payments to some lawyers were for legal services or were linked to funding Leire Díez’s activities.
Pedraz first requested information about the PSOE’s external lawyers.
Pedraz renewed the request and gave the party 48 hours to provide the information.
The PSOE filed a response with the court and consulted the General Council of the Bar.
Rebeca Torró said the party would not yet hand over the records and cited professional secrecy and the election campaign.
- Requested period
- 2021–2025
- Judge
- Santiago Pedraz
- Deadline set by judge
- 48 hours
- Bar body consulted
- Spanish General Council of the Bar
- Party official who spoke publicly
- Rebeca Torró
4 sources
El juez Pedraz acusa al PSOE de retrasar "artificialmente" la entrega de documentación del 'caso Cloacas' y reclama al partido que cumpla "sin más demora"
Pedraz rechaza las alegaciones del PSOE y le da 15 días para entregar los contratos de sus abogados
El PSOE se escuda en las elecciones y el secreto profesional para pedir más plazo para entregar al juez los datos sobre sus abogados
What people are saying
We have wanted to tell the judge because we do not want to violate a fundamental right of lawyers.
That professional secrecy, that confidentiality between lawyer and client, is sacred.
The consultation with the CGAE does not seek either to delay or evade compliance with what was ordered, but only to provide the safeguards required by the order in relation to professional secrecy.