Arrest in the act (flagrante)
Immediate intervention at the police station, custody hearing defense and release requests.
Rio de Janeiro · Criminal Defense
Arrested or investigated in Brazil? You need a lawyer tonight, not tomorrow.
Criminal defense for foreigners and expats in Rio de Janeiro and surrounding cities. Police stations, arrests in the act, custody hearings, domestic violence accusations and ongoing proceedings — handled personally, in English.
- 17+
- Years in criminal law
- 24/7
- Emergency response
- 100%
- Personal attention
English-speaking defense
Direct line to the attorney, day or night.
Detained right now
Police station assistance and immediate action on an arrest in the act.
Custody hearing in 24h
Defense prepared before you face the judge — release is decided fast.
Passport or visa at risk
Criminal proceedings affecting your stay, travel or immigration status.
What I handle
Criminal defense where hours change the outcome
Police station assistance
Never give a statement alone. I attend depositions with you and control what goes on record.
Domestic violence (Maria da Penha)
Protective orders, urgent hearings and defense strategy in one of Brazil's most severe legal frameworks.
Ongoing criminal proceedings
Full defense from investigation to trial, including appeals and habeas corpus.
Sentence enforcement
Corrections of calculation errors, benefits, progression and release requests.
Foreigners & expats
Guidance in English through every step of the Brazilian criminal system, with your family kept informed.
The attorney
Bryan Rojtenberg
More than 17 years dedicated to criminal law in Rio de Janeiro, including high-profile cases followed by the national press — such as acting as assistant to the prosecution in the Cláudio Rafael case and reversing errors in sentence enforcement that kept clients imprisoned longer than the law allows.
Most of my clients are not career criminals. They are people — often far from home — caught in one bad night, one accusation, one misunderstanding. You speak directly with me, not with a call centre.
"Quality and experience, with genuinely personal attention."
Rio de Janeiro + 30 km radius
Capital, Baixada and Niterói region
High-profile case experience
Defense and assistant to the prosecution
In-person & online service
Video calls for clients abroad
Fast, direct response
You message, the attorney answers
How it works
- Step 1
Message on WhatsApp
Describe the situation in English. No charge to explain it.
- Step 2
Case assessment
You get a clear reading of what is happening and what comes next.
- Step 3
Immediate action
Police station, custody hearing or urgent petition — the same day when needed.
- Step 4
Full defense
Strategy, hearings, appeals and constant updates to you and your family.
Worried about the cost?
Fees are discussed openly before anything starts. Installments and credit card payments are accepted, and an urgent case is never left waiting on paperwork.
- Fees in installments
- Credit card accepted
- Online consultations
- In-person meetings in Rio
Straight answers
Questions clients ask first
I don't speak Portuguese. Can you help?+
Yes. The whole process is explained to you in English, and I handle every interaction with the police, the court and Brazilian authorities on your behalf.
Do I really need a lawyer at the police station?+
Yes. What you say in your first statement follows the case to the end. Do not give a deposition without a criminal defense attorney present.
How fast can you act?+
Urgent cases are answered directly on WhatsApp, including nights and weekends. In-the-act arrests and custody hearings are treated as same-day matters.
Do I have to pay everything upfront?+
No. Fees can be split into installments or paid by credit card, and they are agreed with you before any work begins.
Will this affect my visa or my ability to leave Brazil?+
It can. That is exactly why the strategy for foreigners is built around resolving the case quickly and protecting your status.
Every hour matters in a criminal case.
Send a message describing what happened. You will speak with the attorney himself, in English, and know exactly what to do next.