Retired judges and judges received some of those from the state Judiciary in 2025, with figures reaching up to R$281 thousand in a single month. Of the 20 highest salaries recorded last year in all state courts, ten went to inactive members of the Santa Catarina court.
With the funds, retired Santa Catarina Justice magistrates received up to R$2.66 million throughout the year – an average of R$221 thousand per month. From January to December 2025, they earned amounts exceeding R$2.2 million. Among those on the list, there are judges and judges who have been inactive since at least 2020.
The ten judges received high basic salaries, with an average of R$39 thousand, a figure close to the constitutional ceiling (R$46.3 thousand) and subject to the . But, in addition to this subsidy, the magistrates also earned R$184 thousand, on average, with trinkets.
The data appears on the (National Council of Justice) portal and was mapped by the report. THE Sheet also showed this week that, among those in the public sector in the country, there are payments reaching R$3 million per year, concentrated in the Judiciary and the .
Judges and judges at the Santa Catarina Court are entitled to additional benefits that allow them to earn above the ceiling, such as food and health benefits, compensation for untaken vacations and bonus leave — paid leave for older civil servants, but which can be converted into payment.
The remuneration of these magistrates is boosted mainly by retroactive payments – that is, amounts that were no longer received while they were in effective office. This includes, for example, vacation compensation and paid leave. In total, they received, on average, R$165,000 per month with these extras.
Retirees were also entitled to payment of aid and assistance in the month of December, additional payments that are usually given only to active members. Inactive people received, on average, R$6,000 with these end-of-year extras, which are compensatory and, therefore, free from Income Tax.
During the month, they earned R$1,392 in food and R$2,210 in health, in addition to another unspecified R$2,445.
In a note, the TJ-SC states that the payments were made to comply with CNJ regulations that deal with compensation for funds not paid in a timely manner. According to the court, the additional amounts correspond to amounts that were no longer received by judges and judges during the period in which they were active.
Regarding the payment of aid at the end of the year, the TJ-SC stated that the amount was not a Christmas bonus and was due to a recalculation of the amount received for food during the period in which they were in activity.
Part of the additional payments received by magistrates are in the form of payments – installments created as compensation so that the magistrates’ monthly salaries exceed the constitutional ceiling (R$46,300) and remain free of Income Tax.
Since 2019, magistrates have been subject to a minimum retirement age of 65, in addition to contribution time.
Only those who entered the career before the reforms are entitled to fullness and parity, according to Rafael Viegas, professor at FGV-SP, Enap (National School of Public Administration) and member of the Movimento Pessoas à Frente, an entity focused on managing people in the public service.
But, according to the professor, the difference compared to the private sector is still large. Workers linked to the Constitution are subject to a much lower pension ceiling, while judges and judges retire under their own regime, with earnings linked to the constitutional ceiling.
In addition, they have a lifetime contract, automatic progression based on seniority and merit, and benefits associated with administrative functions.
“The judiciary has historically accumulated a set of functional advantages, such as bonus leave, unused vacations and various compensations, which can be converted into significant amounts at the time of retirement or into retroactive payments”, says Viegas.
“This creates an environment in which prolonged stay tends to be financially advantageous, including because it expands the stock of cumulative rights.”
As shown by Sheetof the 10 civil servants with the highest salaries between August 2024 and July 2025, 8 are Santa Catarina Justice magistrates – also, all retired. During this period, judges received up to R$2.7 million throughout the year.
The minister, of the (Supreme Federal Court), the so-called penduricalhos in the three Powers. The judge also set a deadline of 60 days for all administration bodies to review funds paid and suspend those without legal basis.
According to the decision, only compensation installments expressly provided for by law can be outside the ceiling, under the argument that this would be in accordance with the understanding already consolidated by the .
The magistrates are the most critical of the minister’s decision and threaten behind the scenes to carry out a sluggish operation in the analysis of the processes to show strength.
On Thursday (19), the application or publication of new laws that allow the payment of penduricalhos. In the decision, he also stated that “the recognition of any new installment relating to a supposed past right is prohibited, other than those already paid on the date of publication of the injunction.” In other words, there is a suspension of retroactive payments, which are one of the main factors that boost salaries.
The decision will be submitted to the STF plenary, in a session scheduled for next Wednesday (25).
Dino also demanded that Congress enact a law that regulates which compensation amounts could exceed the ceiling. According to him, the Legislature approved a PEC (proposed amendment to the) amending the constitutional text on the topic in 2024, but, a year later, the regulations on the matter have not been published.
The decision will also be forwarded, for appropriate measures, to President Lula (PT) and the presidents of the Senate, (-AP), and the Chamber, (-PB). Thus, according to Dino, the end of the Penduricalhos Empire will be “more effective and faster”.
REPERCUSSION ON NETWORKS
A Palver survey of more than 100,000 public WhatsApp and Telegram groups shows that 81.7% of users who spoke out about salary restrictions are in favor of ending or restricting payments. The data relates to the period from January 21st to February 20th.
Those in favor predominantly use the terms “privilege”, “super salary” and “respect for the ceiling” in their messages. The 18.3% against the decision base their arguments on acquired rights, the compensatory nature of the funds and career structure.
