Brazil’s judicial system has introduced a new financial benefit for judges, allowing them to convert unused leave days into cash payments.
This perk, approved by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) in October 2023, has significantly boosted judges’ earnings by an average of R$12,400 ($2,067) per month.
From July 2023 to October 2024, 35 courts created new payment categories, increasing the paychecks of 8,736 judges, appellate judges, and ministers.
The total cost to taxpayers reached R$819 million ($136.5 million) over 16 months. This information comes from a report by Transparency Brazil, highlighting the financial impact of this policy.
The CNJ argues that they are simply recognizing existing constitutional provisions. They believe that rights granted to one branch of the judiciary should apply to all.
However, this raises questions about the allocation of public funds and the fairness of such benefits. In federal courts, where this benefit was created administratively, 25 bodies paid out R$415 million ($69.2 million).
State courts in ten regions spent R$404 million ($67.3 million) during the same period. These payments were enabled by state legislature laws or internal administrative acts.
Judicial Compensation Controversy
The highest individual beneficiary was an appellate judge from Pernambuco, who received an additional R$313,200 ($52,200) between July 2023 and October 2024.
This example underscores the substantial financial impact of this new policy. This compensatory leave benefit stems from another perk called “cumulative exercise gratification.”
It provides an extra one-third salary for judges who take on colleagues’ duties for over 30 days. Initially, laws capped this at the public service salary limit of R$44,000 ($7,333).
The Court of Justice of Paraná (TJ-PR) has spent the most, disbursing R$157 million ($26.2 million) since September 2023. The São Paulo Court of Justice (TJ-SP), Brazil’s largest, has paid out R$97 million ($16.2 million) under this scheme.
They claim these payments are supported by Supreme Court and CNJ decisions, citing recommendations to reduce backlogs. Transparency Brazil warns that the “Supersalaries” bill in the Senate might legalize these increased payments.
They argue this could further strain the justice system’s budget, prioritizing individual interests over public needs. This story matters because it highlights the ongoing debate about judicial compensation, resource allocation, and fiscal responsibility in Brazil’s public sector.
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This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief