The use of ICT in Brazilian Courts

Abstract

Transparency and effectiveness are emphasized as two positive consequences of the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the Courts. Indeed, ICT expanded the possibilities of access to information and judicial decisions, as well as its use especially in acts of distrainment, have given greater transparency and effectiveness to the judicial acts. In Brazil, federal, state and labor courts have web sites where judicial information is disclosed and their decisions are published. Moreover, they have agreements with the Federal Revenue Secretariat, the Central Bank and the National Register of Automobiles that allow them to implement all acts of distrainment. However, not all Courts are at the same stage as to the use of ICT because, on one hand, their web pages do not have all the features available and, on the other hand, their users are unable to explore the full potential offered by the new technologies. Delivering a diagnosis of the existing offer in the Courts' web sites and of the use of their agreements with other public services is the first task that is being proposed here. This paper intends to examine how such things are changing the judicial function and, in particular, the figure of the judge, in addition to contributing to a new insertion of the Judiciary in the society.