Our Office in Costa Rica
Playa Tambor, Costa Rica
info@purecosta.com
Phone 011.506.2683.0264
Fax 011.2683.0164

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Choosing an Attorney

Attorneys and Legal Representation.

The Costa Rica Legal System is a system which is based upon the Spanish system of laws and regulations. In Costa Rica, Attorneys have a more fundamental role than in the English system of law. The biggest difference lies with the fact that, in Costa Rica, only an attorney can be a Public Notary.

The responsibilities of a Public Notary in Costa Rica are vast and ubiquitous. The legal system in Costa Rica is designed to have nearly every basic business function over-seen but a Public Notary…in essence, you will find that you will need the assistance of an attorney at nearly every corner of your life in Costa Rica. This being said, we cannot stress enough the importance of selecting an attorney with whom you have confidence because, more than likely, you’ll be relying on them immensely. Some of the basic necessities in Costa Rica are opening a bank account, purchasing a vehicle, obtaining a cell phone and purchasing land. All of these functions require the assistance of an attorney.

When searching for an attorney, we’ve found that it’s really helpful to ask around about who is reliable and who is not. Since nearly every foreigner living in Costa Rica has an attorney, it’s not difficult to locate one that suits your needs. Also, like elsewhere in the world, it is sometimes important to have a couple of attorneys who specialize in different areas. There are criminal attorneys as well as litigators as well as Real Estate attorneys. Don’t be afraid to interview several before choosing the one that’s good for you.

Here are some basic guidelines when looking for an attorney. Make sure that your attorney speaks a little of your native language. Unless you have a complete and full understanding of the Spanish language, we suggest that you find someone with whom you can communicate. All contracts and legal negotiations in Costa Rica must be in Spanish (even if both parties speak only English) so it is important that your legal council can translate the finer points of the contract.

If you’re looking for a good attorney to assist you with a land purchase or any type of Real Estate dealings, an attorney with a strong understanding of the Real Estate laws is a must. There are many attorneys practicing in Costa Rica who have a generalized understanding of Real Estate law but it is a field which is evolving and changing almost daily. It is important to understand that the Real Estate market in Costa Rica is exploding at an incredible rate. Too, there is an incredible increase of foreigners retiring and moving to Costa Rica. A majority of these foreigners and investors that come to Costa Rica don’t really have much need for a Criminal Attorney (for example). In fact, an attorney who emphasizes in Real Estate will find that he can really take advantage of this recent boom of foreign investors. This awareness has prompted many, not-so-qualified Attorneys to take the position of “Real Estate Experts” in order to capitalize on this strong market.

Most of the closing of Real Estate in Costa Rica happen through the use of a corporation or a L.L.C. Generically speaking, these corporations are provided by your attorney and purchased by you for approximately $700 (U.S.). Realize that this cost, in conjunction with the 1.5% legal closing fees can be very lucrative for an Attorney in Costa Rica. There are several criminal and litigation attorneys that would love to convince you that they are experts in the field of Real Estate in order to gain your trust. It is true that many of these attorneys are capable of handling the basic processes of Real Estate but if you’re looking to develop or delve into the more complicated Real Estate transactions, it is always better to have a real expert in your corner.

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