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Judge Peinado summons Begoña Gómez to the last preliminary hearing before taking her to trial.
Spain🏛️ PoliticsCenter9/7/2026

Judge Peinado summons Begoña Gómez to the last preliminary hearing before taking her to trial.

The judge Juan Carlos Peinado has scheduled a final preliminary hearing for Begoña Gómez, wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and her assistant Cristina Álvarez, ahead of a trial by jury for charges including abuse of influence, corruption in business dealings, misappropriation, and illegal appropriation. The hearing is set for Tuesday at 6 PM, with both individuals required to appear in person. This follows the defense teams submitting their provisional conclusions and refusing to abandon the hearing. The judge rejected the defense’s request to summon Professor José Manuel Ruano as a witness, stating his testimony was not essential for determining whether to open the trial. The new lawyer for Begoña Gómez submitted another legal brief after the July approval of the investigation by Madrid’s Provincial Court, arguing that the alleged crimes are untrue and do not constitute offenses. Similarly, Cristina Álvarez’s defense claims the described acts are not criminal and that the case is doomed to fail.

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has scheduled Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and her assistant Cristina Álvarez for a preliminary hearing this Tuesday ahead of their trial before a jury. The hearing will take place at 6 p.m. in the courtroom of the 41st Instruction Court in Madrid. This marks the last procedural step before the case proceeds to a trial with a jury. Both women face charges including abuse of influence, corruption in business dealings, misappropriation, and embezzlement. The decision follows the submission of concluding arguments by both defendants' legal teams, who have stated they do not waive the hearing. According to the law, this hearing must occur before the trial begins. Judge Peinado denied the defense's request to call José Manuel Ruano, co-director of the chair that Gómez co-led at the University Complutense of Madrid, as a witness. He argued that Ruano’s testimony is not essential for deciding whether to proceed with the trial. Gómez’s new lawyer, Jaime Campaner, submitted his conclusions again last Friday after the Provincial Court of Madrid approved most of Peinado’s investigation in July. The defense requested Gómez’s acquittal, arguing that the alleged facts, on which the Popular Prosecution led by Hazte Oír seeks 13 years in prison, are not true and that no crime exists. Similarly, the defense for Álvarez, represented by José María de Pablo, claims the facts described by the judge do not constitute a crime and that the case is destined for dismissal by the jury. The preliminary hearing is a necessary procedural requirement to send Gómez to trial. It will take place during the remaining time of Peinado’s career, as he plans to retire on September 27 and intends to finalize the trial opening before that date. During the hearing, the defenses of Gómez and Álvarez will argue for their acquittal, maintaining that neither committed the crimes charged against them. They made similar arguments in their concluding statements at the end of the investigative phase. Meanwhile, the Popular Prosecution led by Hazte Oír seeks 13 years in prison for Gómez and six years for Álvarez. The Public Prosecutor supports the defense’s position, stating no crime was committed by either defendant. Peinado issued a brief ruling on Monday explaining that the Organic Law of the Jury Court requires the preliminary hearing to be held “as soon as possible” once the defense submits its qualification statement. He decided to schedule the hearing for this Tuesday afternoon. Regarding the defense’s request to hear Ruano’s testimony, Peinado stated it is not essential for determining whether to open the trial but did not rule out the possibility of doing so during the trial phase. The hearing will be held in the time remaining in Peinado’s career, as he plans to retire on September 27 and intends to conclude the trial opening before that date. During the hearing, the defenses of Gómez and Álvarez will seek acquittal, maintaining that neither committed the crimes charged against them. They made similar arguments in their concluding statements at the end of the investigative phase. Meanwhile, the Popular Prosecution led by Hazte Oír seeks 13 years in prison for Gómez and six years for Álvarez. The Public Prosecutor supports the defense’s position, stating no crime was committed by either defendant.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 2 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

Responsible editor: Matej BašaSpotted an error? Report it

2 reports

20minutos logo20minutosIndependentCenterFactual 95Objective 909/7/2026
Judge Peinado is summoning Begoña Gómez today for the hearing prior to the opening of oral trial.

The judge Juan Carlos Peinado has summoned Begoña Gómez, wife of the Spanish Prime Minister, and her advisor Cristina Álvarez to an initial hearing that precedes the opening of the oral trial against them. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 PM in Madrid’s Instruction Court No. 41. During this procedural step, the defense requested the testimony of José Manuel Ruano, a co-director of a social transformation research center linked to Gómez, but the judge rejected the request, stating it was not essential for determining whether the trial should proceed. The judge plans to conclude the case before his retirement on September 27. Both defenses argue for acquittal, while the prosecution, led by the organization Hazte Oír, demands prison terms of 13 years for Gómez and six years for Álvarez. The Public Prosecutor aligns with the defense in seeking acquittal.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the legal proceedings objectively, detailing both the defense and prosecution positions without overtly favoring either side. It reports the court's decisions and the arguments made by all parties involved, maintaining a balanced tone throughout.

Why factuality (95): The article provides specific details about the judge's scheduling of the preliminary hearing, the names of the accused, the location, and the legal reasoning behind rejecting the defense's request. These facts align with what would be expected from a cross-source consensus on such an event.

Why objectivity (90): The article presents the information in a neutral manner, reporting events and legal decisions without apparent bias or emotional language. It includes direct quotes from the judge’s ruling, maintaining a balanced tone.

elDiario.es logoelDiario.esIndependentCenterFactual 92Objective 889/7/2026
Judge Peinado summons Begoña Gómez to the last preliminary hearing before taking her to trial.

The judge Juan Carlos Peinado has scheduled a final preliminary hearing for Begoña Gómez, wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and her assistant Cristina Álvarez, ahead of a trial by jury for charges including abuse of influence, corruption in business dealings, misappropriation, and illegal appropriation. The hearing is set for Tuesday at 6 PM, with both individuals required to appear in person. This follows the defense teams submitting their provisional conclusions and refusing to abandon the hearing. The judge rejected the defense’s request to summon Professor José Manuel Ruano as a witness, stating his testimony was not essential for determining whether to open the trial. The new lawyer for Begoña Gómez submitted another legal brief after the July approval of the investigation by Madrid’s Provincial Court, arguing that the alleged crimes are untrue and do not constitute offenses. Similarly, Cristina Álvarez’s defense claims the described acts are not criminal and that the case is doomed to fail.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the procedural developments in a judicial case involving high-profile political figures without overtly favoring any side. It reports on court decisions, legal arguments, and procedural steps without taking a clear ideological stance. While the subject matter is highly politic化,

Why factuality (92): This article accurately reports the judge's decision to hold the final preliminary hearing before the trial, along with relevant legal procedures and the involvement of defense attorneys. The details match those found in other articles, though some minor contextual elements may be omitted compared t

Why objectivity (88): The article remains largely objective but includes slightly more background on the defense arguments, which could introduce a subtle lean toward the defendants' perspective. However, it still presents the information in a mostly neutral manner.

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