The (Superior Federal Court) is the court responsible for standardizing the interpretation of federal legislation in the country.
The court is experiencing an institutional crisis caused by accusations of harassment against the provisional position this Tuesday (10).
The court is made up of 33 ministers chosen by the President of the Republic from a triple list drawn up by the court. The court is responsible for resolving civil and criminal disputes that do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Labor, Military or Electoral Courts.
The firm states that the names must be Brazilians aged 35 to 70, with notable legal knowledge and an unblemished reputation.
The choice, as with the (Federal Supreme Court), must be approved by the Federal majority.
One third of the vacancies are reserved for judges from the TRFs (Federal Regional Courts), another for judges from the state Courts of Justice, and the last part for lawyers and members of the .
Outside the court, STJ ministers are appointed to the role of national justice inspector at the (National Council of Justice).
They are also entitled to two vacancies in the titular composition of the (Superior Electoral Court).
According to the court, the court is divided into plenary, Special Court, sections and classes.
The plenary has all 33 ministers. He has more administrative competence, such as electing management positions and preparing triple lists.
The Special Court is made up of the 15 most senior ministers of the court. She is responsible, for example, for judging criminal actions against authorities and resolving differences of understanding.
There are also sections and classes specialized in public, private or criminal law.
According to the court, the main type of case judged by the STJ is the special appeal. It is from this procedural class that the court standardizes an understanding of federal laws. If the court of one state has a certain understanding of the provisions of legislation, for example, and another state court follows a divergent line, it will be up to the STJ to decide which line should prevail.
The court is also responsible for judging criminal cases of governors, judges, advisors from the State, DF and municipal Audit Courts, judges from the Federal Regional Courts, Regional Electoral and Labor Courts and members of the Federal Public Ministry who work before courts.
It is also up to the STJ to judge appeals in habeas corpus or in writs of mandamus denied in regional, state or DF courts.
In the event of a serious violation of human rights, the STJ can federalize processes, that is, take cases from the common courts to the Federal Court.
