Major Shifting: The Brazilian Way

de Barros, Alexandre Alcino; de Miranda, Sílvia Julio Bueno

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-2263-7_5

Alexandre Alcino de Barros² &
Sílvia Julio Bueno de Miranda²

Part of the book series: Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice ((IUSGENT,volume 11))

Abstract

The rules and principles governing cost and fee allocation in Brazilian civil procedure are designed to give access to justice to everyone (Access to justice is a fundamental right protected by the Brazilian Federal Constitution (art. 5, XXXV)). This paper analyzes the main features of such rules and principles, taking into account the conclusions of the comparative study undertaken by the International Academy of Comparative Law (hereinafter referred to as “General Report”) and emphasizing the particular characteristics of the Brazilian system in that regard.

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Notes

1.
THEODORO JUNIOR, Humberto, Curso de Direito Processual Civil – Rio de Janeiro: Forense, 2000, v. 1, p. 79 and ABREU, Frederico do Valle, O Custo Financeiro do Processo in Revista dos Tribunais, 2003, v. 818, p. 67.
2.
Federal court costs correspond to 1% of the amount of the dispute. Law N. 9.289/96 and Resolution 278/2007, Schedule of Costs I – Civil Actions, Item (a) Civil Litigation. Under this Schedule of Costs, the minimum amount to be paid as court costs in the Federal Courts currently corresponds to R$10.64 and the maximum corresponds to R$1,915.38.
3.
As an example, the general rule in the State of São Paulo is that prior to filing a civil action before such Court, the plaintiff shall pay initial costs corresponding to 1% of the amount of the dispute. See Article 4, I and § 1, São Paulo State Law N. 11.608/03. Under
4.
these rules, the minimum amount to be paid as court costs currently corresponds to R$79.25 and the maximum corresponds to R$47,550.00. In order to appeal the party shall have paid costs of 2% of the amount in dispute, in the case of adjudication of a right (where there is no conviction of the losing party to pay a certain amount); or 2% of the monetary judgment, where the sentence has condemned the loser to pay a certain amount. See Article 4, § 2, São Paulo State Law N. 11.608/03. The minimum and maximum amounts to be paid as court costs for appeal are the same as the ones applicable to the initial costs. In addition to these costs, the party shall pay the costs related to the transportation of the process. See Article 4, § 4, São Paulo State Law N. 11.608/03.
5.
Article 258, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
6.
Articles 259 and 261, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
7.
Article 18, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
8.
Article 538, sole paragraph, and Article 557, § 2, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
9.
Article 601, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
10.
Articles 259 and 261, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
11.
As an example, the Minimum Fee Schedule approved by the São Paulo Bar Association is available at http://www.oabsp.org.br/tabela-de-honorarios/tabela-de-honorarios-completa-nova. There is no immediate consequence if a lawyer charges less than those minimum amounts. However, the Bar Association Code of Ethics provides that lawyers must avoid degrading the value of their services, not charging an insignificant amount or less than those minimums, unless they have a justification for that. Article 41, Brazilian Bar Association Code of Ethics.
12.
Articles 19 and 20, § 2, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
13.
Articles 20, §§ 2 and 33, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
14.
Article 20, caput, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
15.
Article 20, § 3, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
16.
Article 20, § 4, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
17.
Article 20, § 3, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
18.
Article 14, I, Law N. 9.289/96.
19.
Article 14, II, Law N. 9.289/96.
20.
Article 14, IV, Law N. 9.289/96.
21.
Article 19, caput, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
22.
Article 19, § 2, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73). Please notice that it is very uncommon for judges or public prosecutors to request such procedural steps.
23.
Some examples: public property, the environment, and the interests of consumers, people with disabilities, children and adolescents. Each of them is provided for in a specific law, such as the Public Civil Action (Article 18, Law N. 7347/85) and the Popular Action (Article 5, LXXIII, Brazilian Constitution).
24.
Article 18, Law N. 7347/85.
25.
Popular Actions may be filed by any citizen to request the annulment or declaration of invalidity of acts detrimental to the assets of the Union, of the Federal District, of the States, of the Municipalities, of the Municipal Entities, etc. (Article 1, Law N. 4717/65).
26.
Article 10, Law N. 4717/65.
27.
Articles 12, Law N. 4717/65.
28.
Articles 13, Law N. 4717/65.
29.
Article 141 §§ 1 and 2, Law N. 8069/90; Article 87, Law N. 8078/90.
30.
Article 5, LXXIV, Brazilian Constitution and Article 2, sole paragraph, Law N. 1.060/50.
31.
Article 3, Law N. 1.060/50.
32.
Article 5, LXXIV, Brazilian Constitution and Article 2, sole paragraph, Law N. 1.060/50.
33.
Article 4, § 1, Law N. 1.060/50.
34.
Article 4, § 1, Law N. 1.060/50.
35.
Article 21, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
36.
Article 21, sole paragraph, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
37.
Article 26 § 2, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
38.
Article 26, caput and § 1, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
39.
Information on the National Conciliation Week is available at São Paulo State Court’s website (http://www.tj.sp.gov.br).
40.
Article 3, Law N. 1.060/50.
41.
Article 42, § 1, Brazilian Code of Civil Procedure (Law N. 5.869/73).
42.
When less is more; Brazil’s supreme court. (Supreme Federal Tribunal), The Economist (US), May 23, 2009.
43.
The first version of the bill drafted by a commission of legal experts is available at the STJ’s website: http://www.stj.gov.br/portal_stj/publicacao/download.wsp?tmp.arquivo=1541.

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Senior Associates ad L.O. Baptista Advogados Associados, Sao Paolo, Brazil
Alexandre Alcino de Barros & Sílvia Julio Bueno de Miranda

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Alexandre Alcino de Barros
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Sílvia Julio Bueno de Miranda
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, Law School, University of Michigan, South State Street 625, Ann Arbor, 48109-1215, Michigan, USA
Mathias Reimann

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de Barros, A.A., de Miranda, S.J.B. (2012). Major Shifting: The Brazilian Way. In: Reimann, M. (eds) Cost and Fee Allocation in Civil Procedure. Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2263-7_5

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2263-7_5
Published: 20 October 2011
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-2262-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-2263-7
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