Carolina
Lawyer · Lisbon, Portugal
- 366 cases handled · 1 in this service
- 4+ years in practice
- Speaks: Spanish, English, Portuguese
- Law, University of Coimbra
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4.91(11 reviews)
Assault Charges in Portugal
This page is for a person accused of assault in Portugal, which Portuguese law calls ofensa à integridade física, and for relatives helping from abroad. It explains how a complaint becomes a criminal case and what an English-speaking lawyer does for the accused.
About Assault Charges in Portugal
Assault charges in Portugal are brought as ofensa à integridade física, the offence of harming another person's body or health. English speakers describe the same situation as an assault charge, bodily harm, causing injury or simply a fight that ended in a complaint. This page is for the person accused and for family helping from abroad; it is general information, not legal advice. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Assault Cases”.
Who needs this
Tourists and residents after a fight in a bar or on the street, a dispute between neighbours, an incident involving a driver or a door attendant, or an accusation made by someone the person knows. The accused may have been held briefly by the police (PSP or GNR), made a formal suspect (arguido) and asked to give an address for notifications (termo de identidade e residência).
How a case runs in Portugal
- The basic form, ofensa à integridade física simples, is a semi-public offence (crime semi-público): the case only goes ahead if the injured person files a complaint (queixa) within a short time limit, and that person can later withdraw it, which ends the case.
- Serious and aggravated forms (grave, qualificada) are prosecuted by the public prosecutor (Ministério Público) whether or not the injured person wants it.
- The investigation (inquérito) is led by the prosecutor; it may end with the case being closed, with a charge, or with a provisional suspension of the case on conditions (suspensão provisória do processo) where the law allows it.
- Self-defence (legítima defesa) and the circumstances of the fight are examined on the evidence: witnesses, medical reports, camera footage.
What to pay attention to
Statements given to the police without a lawyer or without an interpreter are hard to correct later. The degree of the injury decides which rules apply, so medical documents matter from the first day. A foreign accused who leaves Portugal still has to receive notifications, and a case that continues in their absence is harder to defend.
What an English-speaking lawyer does
The lawyer explains the accusation and the stage the case is at, attends the police and court interviews, requests the evidence, checks whether the complaint was validly made, explores a settlement with the injured person where the offence is semi-public, and represents the accused at trial. For an accusation inside a relationship or a family, see domestic violence allegations; a person who was injured and wants their own lawyer finds information under legal representation for crime victims. A conviction may later appear on a criminal record certificate. More on criminal law in Portugal.
Questions and answers
I was in a fight but nobody was badly hurt. Is it still a crime?
Any harm to another person's body or health can be ofensa à integridade física. For the basic form the case depends on a complaint by the other person; without one, or after it is withdrawn, the case does not proceed.
The other person said they would withdraw the complaint. Does that end everything?
For the simple form, yes, once the withdrawal is accepted. For serious or aggravated injuries the prosecutor continues regardless. A lawyer checks which form is alleged.
Can I leave Portugal while the case is open?
Usually yes, unless a court has imposed a measure that says otherwise. Leaving does not stop the case, and the accused remains responsible for receiving notifications at the address given.
Do I have the right to an interpreter?
Yes. A person who does not understand Portuguese has the right to an interpreter at the police and court stages, and to a lawyer from the first interview.
4 lawyers who provide Assault Charges in Portugal
Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.
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Elsa
Lawyer · Lisbon, Portugal
- 640 cases handled
- 29+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Portuguese
- Law, Autonoma University Lisbon
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4.88(11 reviews)
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Jorge
Lawyer · Porto, Portugal
- 116 cases handled
- 9+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Portuguese
- Law, Coimbra
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5.00(6 reviews)
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Goncalo
Lawyer · Lagos, Portugal
- 55 cases handled
- 7+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French
- Degree in Law, Universidade de Lisboa
Contact form · a chat with a lawyer
Talk to a lawyer about Assault Charges
4 registered lawyers provide this service in Portugal. Describe your situation in a short chat — what happened, where, and how to reach you. Your enquiry is reviewed and passed to a lawyer who handles exactly this kind of case, with no obligation.
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Enquiries are answered by lawyers of AdvocateAbroad. This site provides legal information, not legal advice.
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What our clients say about our service in Portugal
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A capable, helpful lawyer for British people with a legal problem in Spain, and in Mallorca especially.
— Les30 Jan 2026Assault Charges -
The lawyer was very professional and put me at ease, particularly as she spoke English. All of my questions got answered. I would gladly hire her again if needed and will recommend her to everyone. Thanks once more, it was a pleasure meeting her.
— Paul27 Jun 2024Assault Charges -
The lawyer did an excellent job for me. Legal matters are a mystery to me, yet she saw me safely through a really hard period, which is finally over. I am more thankful than I can say, and I would certainly recommend her. All the best!
— Andrew16 Nov 2022 -
This was a highly professional and efficient service. Our urgent email got a reply almost immediately. The lawyer was very approachable and helpful in handling the case and translated everything into English for us. The service was excellent value for money, and we are completely satisfied with the outcome.
— Rhona16 Nov 2022 -
As an expatriate who does not speak the language, this was just the kind of support I needed, and it made me feel less like a stranger and more at home. The lawyer explained the process and procedure clearly and kept me well informed until I finally got through it. The help was excellent, and I am very satisfied with how it all ended. I thank her for the great work and wish her every success in her career.
— Ali25 Jul 2022 -
It has been a very long, nerve-wracking process, but that is for the court system to improve. Half of the trauma for me has been the waiting and not being able to move on. Very tough. I appreciate the lawyer very much in every respect.
— Peter10 Apr 2022 -
The lawyer was truly professional, ahead of the appointment date and on the day itself. He stayed very calm and reassuring, and I always felt in safe hands thanks to his trustworthy approach. I would highly recommend him to anyone in the Canary Islands. He held several interviews with me before the date, going through many questions and providing advice that was excellent throughout, with never a sense of a time limit; he simply kept going till all of it was settled. His investigation of the case was superb and he had everything covered. On the day the result was the best possible outcome for me, and I am completely satisfied. 100% rating.
— T.D.09 Oct 2021 -
The lawyer made everything very clear and took me through it step by step, a real professional and a pleasure to deal with.
— Jessica03 Nov 2020 -
She was incredibly helpful and patient with me. She is very professional and knows exactly how to advise a distressed client, and I would recommend her to anyone.
— Stefan07 Sep 2019Assault Charges -
It was a first-class and very professional service, delivered at very short notice. Everything was under control within a short time. The lawyer was a man of his word: whatever he said he would do, he did. My family and I appreciate everything he did for my brother, and we thank him so much.
— Jason16 Jul 2019Assault Charges -
The lawyer provided a very professional and efficient service. I would certainly recommend her!
— Breda25 Jun 2019 -
A very sympathetic lawyer with excellent advice.
— John16 May 2019Assault Charges