Judicial reform: brief considerations on Constitutional Amendment 45/2004

Abstract

This paper analyses the problems regarding the efficiency in the Judicial System, showing the difficulties in identifying that, once it has to deal with the output of the system, studying quality and quantity. It shows the possible reasons for the inefficiency and studies the solutions suggested to improve the system, including some reforms in the legislation. After, it focuses on the constitutional amendment in Brazil, no. 45\2004, that has established another demand for the appeals to be accepted at the Supreme Court. It also questions the utility, once most of the appeals were retained in the lower-level courts waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision in similar cases. It concludes that reforms to search for a more efficient system have to study each country’s condition to adopt the best solution for the problem.

KEYWORDS: justice, legal reform, legal norm, constitution, political system.

JEL CODE: K,K4