This joint program between the Public Minister of Paraná and the University of Florida conducted a comprehensive study of the most common obstacles to building a fair, efficient, and accessible justice system. The study was complemented by a series of site visits that formed the basis of a training program for judges and court officers in Brazil.
Challenge
Since its return to civilian rule and the adoption of a new constitution in 1988, Brazil has undergone numerous reforms in its justice system, most recently with constitutional revisions in 2004. These reforms are resulting in a stronger, fairer administration of justice in the largest nation in South America. Now a need exists to help sustain those reforms through establishment of a permanent, flexible continuing education program in comparative law for officers of the court, including judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and law enforcement officers.
Program Summary
This two-year project consists of seven parts and is designed as a permanent training program.
1. Identify a project advisory board consisting of professors, judges, attorneys, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, non-governmental organization leaders;
2. Convene the advisory board with an agenda of: assessment of current training programs, identification of training needs, review of existing training materials, and selection of best practices in training.
3. Develop a training curriculum, consisting of specialized modules and site visits.
4. Research and develop training materials for bilingual translation (English and Portuguese).
5. Conduct a training session in Florida for Brazilians.
6. Conduct training sessions in Brazil in at least two locations (one for federal courts and one for state courts)
7. Ultimately, this project can be replicated throughout Brazil and in other South American countries as opportunities arise.
Impact
A planning meeting of the Advisory Group for this project was held on May 12, 2009, at the University Of Florida Levin College Of Law, as an extension of the Center for Governmental Responsibility’s 10th Annual Conference on Legal & Policy Issues in the Americas. The meeting was attended by thirty-one judges, lawyers, judicial scholars, law professors, Latin American scholars and professors, law and Latin American studies students, and legal researchers. Potential topics for the Brazilian training curriculum were discussed and Training methods also were presented at the planning meeting. A draft curriculum was developed and piloted in the US.