Luís Carlos Esteves has been named as the new court-appointed lawyer for José Sócrates in the Operação Marquês trial, according to CNN Portugal. Esteves previously represented João Perna, the former driver of the ex-prime minister, in the same case. The appointment follows an agreement between the Bar Association and the High Council of the Judiciary to select from a list of lawyers already familiar with the proceedings. The trial was interrupted on Tuesday, March 17, as the judge had not yet received formal notification of the appointment. Sócrates, prime minister from 2005 to 2011, faces 22 charges, including corruption, money laundering, and tax fraud, alongside 20 other defendants. The case involves alleged illicit dealings with the Lena Group, the Espírito Santo Group, and the Vale de Lobo resort. Since his arrest in 2014, Sócrates has had four private lawyers, all of whom have either passed away or resigned, leading to a series of court-appointed replacements.