Costa Rica Country Profile - MLA in Relation to Asset Recovery

If no treaties are in place and the assistance request must be sent through a letter rogatoire, the appropriate diplomatic channel is the Legal Affaires Office at the Ministry of Foreign Affaires. There are no legal texts which make reference to the formal requirements to process a letter rogatoire. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affaires, has issued an internal memorandum which establishes the appropriate steps (http://www.rree.go.cr/ministerio/index.php?stp=43&langtype=&SID=#).

When an embassy credited in Costa Rica receives a note in which a Judicial Authority from their country requests for any kind of information, the request must be forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affaires along with a request for international assistance, directed to the Secretary of the Supreme Court of Justice, which in turn will send it to the Public Prosecutor's Office to be dealt with according to the country's internal legislation.