Supreme Court Estimation of Legal Costs in Notable Attorney General Case Reaches Nearly 8 Million Euros

The Supreme Court of Spain has calculated the legal costs associated with the judicial proceedings against former Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz, who was convicted for revealing confidential information concerning Alberto González Amador, a partner of Madrid's president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso. The total cost of the legal process is estimated at an astonishing 7,994,270 euros. According to a document accessed by Europa Press, the bill for González Amador's lawyer alone amounts to 6,477,878 euros. This substantial sum is further compounded by an additional 1,360,332 euros in VAT and 156,038 euros for the legal representative's professional fees. It is important to recall that García Ortiz faced a two-year special disqualification from his position as Attorney General, along with a compensation payment of 17,200 euros and a fine, all of which were covered by the Progressive Union of Prosecutors through a collection initiative. García Ortiz is also responsible for bearing the legal costs incurred during the proceedings. Gabriel Rodríguez Ramos, the lawyer representing Ayuso's partner, submitted a document to the court detailing the intricate complexities of the case to justify the high legal fees. He emphasized that this situation was unprecedented, highlighting that no Attorney General had previously been implicated in leaking confidential information related to an individual connected to a public representative from a rival political party. Rodríguez Ramos articulated the numerous factors complicating the case, such as the multiple parties involved, García Ortiz's legal immunity, the destruction of files, and the Prosecutor's Office's position, which was favorable to the acquittal of García Ortiz himself. In light of these complexities, he expressed concerns over the absence of objective and transparent standards to evaluate the associated fees, noting that he would adjust his costs in accordance with the advisory guidelines set forth by the Illustrious Bar Association of Madrid. For instance, Rodríguez Ramos estimates a fee of 250 euros for the preparation of each interrogation, with around twenty interrogations required, and 750 euros for each appeal submitted to the court. This case highlights significant legal and political intersections in Spain, illustrating both the financial implications and the procedural challenges involved in high-profile legal cases such as this one. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2