English speaking criminal lawyer in Naples
Naples brings together three things that rarely coincide: one of the country's major ports, an airport at Capodichino alongside a United States naval installation, and a district anti-mafia prosecution office. Those held in the district go to Poggioreale or Secondigliano. The office is at Corso Umberto I 237.
Three kinds of case
Port and airport. Container traffic and passenger flights generate customs and drug cases with their own defences, described in arrested at an Italian airport and, for the association charge, in article 74.
Organised crime. The district anti-mafia office handles association charges and the parallel asset proceedings, which reach relatives and companies never investigated in the criminal case. The framework is in mafia association charges.
United States personnel. The naval installation at Capodichino means a resident English-speaking community subject to Italian jurisdiction for offences committed off duty and off base. That is a subject of its own, set out in US service members and Italian jurisdiction.
Where a case in Naples goes
| Stage | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation and prosecution | Prosecutor's Office, Naples | Including the district anti-mafia office |
| Validation and precautionary decisions | Court of Naples | Judge for preliminary investigations |
| Review of precautionary measures | Review court, Naples | Ten days from enforcement |
| Men held in the district | Poggioreale, Secondigliano | Depending on position |
| Airport | Capodichino | Border police and customs |
| Port | Customs and financial police units | Container and passenger traffic |
For United States personnel and their families
Under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement Italy has the primary right to exercise jurisdiction over offences committed off duty, and there is no immunity. Command legal assistance advises on military and administrative consequences; it cannot appear before an Italian court.
Dependants are in an even more exposed position, because they have no duty status to invoke at all. In practice the cases are the ordinary ones — driving, fights, drugs at the low end — dealt with by an Italian court under Italian procedure, with no bail available.
If someone has been arrested in Naples
The national timetable applies: before the prosecutor within twenty-four hours, validation within forty-eight more. Where an organised crime charge is alleged the precautionary regime is far more restrictive, and the first decisions shape everything that follows.
The office
Corso Umberto I 237, 80138 Naples. There are also offices in Rome and Milan, and an Italian lawyer may appear before any Italian court.
Frequently asked questions
Where are people held after an arrest in Naples?
In the district institutions, principally Poggioreale and Secondigliano, after being brought before the prosecutor within twenty-four hours.
I am US Navy personnel stationed near Naples.
For offences committed off duty and off base Italy has the primary right to exercise jurisdiction, and you will need a lawyer admitted in Italy. Command legal assistance cannot appear before an Italian court.
What is different about organised crime charges here?
They are handled by the district anti-mafia office, the precautionary regime is far more restrictive, and a parallel asset procedure runs alongside the criminal case.
What about the port and the airport?
Container and passenger traffic generate customs and drug cases with their own defences, which differ according to how the substance or goods were carried.
If this is urgent
With the place of the arrest and the alleged offence, the position can be established quickly. First contact is free and covered by professional privilege, at any hour including nights and holidays.