---
type: figure_profile
lang: en
subtype: judge
canonical: https://www.politicaelectoral.com/en/spain/public-figures/pablo-llarena
name: Pablo Llarena Conde
updated_at: 2026-05-03T18:34:29
data_crc: a672e51b
---

Pablo Llarena Conde is a **Spanish judge** and current investigating magistrate in the **Procés** case before the **Supreme Court**. Born in **1962**, he has played a central judicial role in some of the most prominent constitutional and criminal proceedings in Spain in recent years.

## Professional career

Pablo Llarena Conde was born in 1962. He entered the Spanish judicial career and built his professional profile within the ordinary courts before reaching one of the country’s highest judicial posts.

A major milestone in his career came when he served as **President of the Professional Association of the Judiciary** from **2014 to 2016**, a position that placed him in a representative role within the Spanish judiciary.

In **2016**, he was appointed **judge of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court**, a post he has held **since 2016**. From **2017 onwards**, he became the **investigating magistrate in the special Procés case** before the Supreme Court, a proceeding connected to the events surrounding Catalonia’s unilateral independence process.

He remains active in that judicial role and continues to be associated with high-profile constitutional criminal litigation in Spain.

## Public relevance and open cases

Pablo Llarena came into sustained public prominence from **2017**, when he took charge of the Supreme Court’s investigation into the **Procés**. That case concerned the sequence of events linked to Catalonia’s independence drive and the legality of actions taken by regional authorities and political leaders.

His work has remained a recurring topic in Spanish public debate because the Procés proceedings involve major questions of constitutional law, criminal responsibility, and the powers of the state. As the **investigating magistrate** at the Supreme Court, Llarena has been the judicial figure associated with the pre-trial phase of that case and with decisions made during the investigation.

### Open judicial proceedings

The principal open proceeding associated with Pablo Llarena is the **Procés case** before the **Spanish Supreme Court**. In that proceeding, the alleged offences have included **rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds**, depending on the stage of the case and the specific defendant involved. Llarena himself is not the person under investigation in this proceeding; rather, he is the **investigating magistrate** handling the case, and the people concerned are the defendants in that process. The presumption of innocence applies to all individuals facing criminal allegations.

No final conviction of Pablo Llarena is known from the information provided here.

## Frequently asked questions

**Who is Pablo Llarena Conde?** He is a **Spanish judge** and member of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Chamber, best known for acting as the investigating magistrate in the Procés case.

**Why is Pablo Llarena in the news?** He appears in public discussion because he is one of the main judicial figures involved in the Supreme Court proceedings related to Catalonia’s independence process.

**What is the Procés case?** It is the major criminal case at the **Spanish Supreme Court** arising from the events linked to the Catalan independence push, including actions taken by political and administrative leaders.

**Has Pablo Llarena been convicted of any offence?** No final conviction is indicated in the available information.

**What was his role before joining the Supreme Court?** He was **President of the Professional Association of the Judiciary** from **2014 to 2016**, before becoming a Supreme Court judge in **2016**.