On Friday (September 27th), members of the SimpleTOC State Network held their first meeting following the signing of Technical Cooperation Agreement No. 9/2024 for the use of the “Simple Language”. The meeting, held at the headquarters of Inovassol - the Innovation Center of the Judiciary of the State of Tocantins - was led by Roniclay Alves de Morais, an assistant Judge to the President.
The SimpleTOC State Network was formed in August this year. The partnership among the Court of Justice of the State of Tocantins (TJTO), the state authorities and the academic community aims to share knowledge and other strategies to promote the use of simple language and make public information and documents more comprehensible to the general public.
Manager of the simple language goal of the 2023/2025 management program and co-manager of the Language Simplification Program of the Judiciary of the State of Tocantins (SimpleToc), the assistant presiding Judge, opening the meeting, said that simple language “is nothing more than respect for those who receive an act from us,” he noted, adding that the big problem with the issue is prejudice. “It's not a trivialization of language. Writing simply and being understood is very difficult”.
Roberta Maciel, coordinator of legal advice for the general directorate and co-manager of the SimpleTOC Program, presented the program of the Judiciary and emphasized the importance of networking for a simpler and more direct communication with all citizens. “It's no use just the Court of Justice doing it and the other institutions not. With simple language we can get closer to the user without losing technical precision”.
Definitions
During the meeting, the members discussed the internal regulations of the Network, the annual work plan, the drafting of the state simple language law, the holding of the Annual Meeting of the SimpleToc State Network, on October 15th, and the draft notice to award good practices in simple language. “The event is a kick-off to disseminate the simple language culture,” said the assistant Judge.
Co-manager Roberta Maciel recalled that sharing good practices is important to inspire other institutions to join the SimpleToc State Network.
Cooperation
Under the name on “SimpleTOC State Network”, the partnership is made up of the TJTO, the Federal Court (Judicial Section of the State of Tocantins); the Regional Electoral Court (TRE-TO); the State Prosecution (MPTO); the Public Defender's Office (DPE); State Court of Auditors (TCE-TO); Executive Branch (General Internal Affairs of Justice); Brazilian Bar Association, Tocantins Section (OAB-TO); Federal University of the State of Tocantins (UFT) and Federal Institute of the State of Tocantins (IFTO).
The first meeting of the Network was attended by Public Defender Fabiana Razera Gonçalves, Denise Soares (MPE), Alexsander Ogawa (TRE), Mirelle da Silva Freitas, representing the IFTO; Carolina Mattos Goes (PGE), Maria Aparecida Moreira and Alexandre Alves (First Degree Federal Justice - Judicial Section of the State of Tocantins), Paula Bittencourt (CGJUS), André Vinicius Di Oliveira Gomes and Lucas Ferreira (Inovassol/TJTO).
To close the meeting, those present took part in the Simple Language Game, run by the Aurora Innovation Laboratory of the TJDFT, to learn a little more about SimpleTOC and the importance of translating legal content into communication that is accessible to citizens.
