The use of the Catalan language in legal aid cases has increased by 15% over the past year, marking a significant step forward for linguistic normalisation within Catalonia’s justice system. According to a statement released on Friday by the Catalan Bar Council (Consell de l’Advocacia Catalana), the number of proceedings handled in Catalan by court-appointed lawyers rose from 15,348 in 2024 to 17,666 in 2025.

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This latest annual increase is part of a dramatic upward trend observed over the last four years. The volume of cases conducted in Catalan has more than doubled since 2021, reflecting a remarkable 136% rise from the 7,483 proceedings recorded that year. The justice system has traditionally been an area where the Catalan language has struggled to gain a foothold, a challenge previously documented by advocacy groups like Plataforma per la Llengua.

A Joint Push for Linguistic Rights

This sustained growth stems from a language promotion plan, re-established in 2021. This joint initiative between the Catalan government’s Department of Justice, Rights and Memory and the Catalan Bar Council aims to encourage and facilitate the use of Catalan by legal professionals providing free legal assistance to the public.

The number of court-appointed lawyers voluntarily enrolled in the programme grew by 4% in 2025. There are now 1,528 professionals registered, which represents 26.3% of all lawyers providing legal aid services across Catalonia. The programme’s budget also increased by 15% last year, with €463,000 allocated to support the initiative, as reported by Europa Press.

To incentivise participation, lawyers who join the voluntary scheme receive a supplement of €25 for each legal action they carry out in Catalan. However, professionals can also choose to register for the programme without receiving the financial supplement, underscoring a commitment to the language that goes beyond economic motivation.

Regional Differences Emerge

Participation in the language plan varies significantly across the region, with bar associations outside of the Barcelona metropolitan area showing the highest rates of adoption. The bar association of Vic leads the way, with 80% of its legal aid lawyers enrolled in the programme.

Other regions with strong participation include Manresa (71.2%), Girona (55%), and Figueres (43.1%). The figures for Reus (33.1%) and Lleida (32.2%) also demonstrate a solid commitment to the initiative.

This drive to strengthen Catalan in professional settings like the courts reflects wider societal efforts. These range from demands to expand Catalan courses for immigrants to providing subsidies for film dubbing and even ensuring that artificial intelligence can achieve cultural fluency in the language. While progress is evident, the fact that just over a quarter of all legal aid lawyers are enrolled in the programme suggests there is still significant room for growth in ensuring citizens can fully exercise their right to use Catalan in the justice system.

According to the official source, see Las actuaciones en catalán de la abogacía del turno de oficio crecieron un 15% en 2025 – Europa Press.