The Court of Justice of the State of Tocantins (TJTO) is among the 48 Brazilian judicial bodies to receive the Simple Language Seal of 2024, a certification awarded by the National Council of Justice (CNJ). The certification is in recognition of the efforts made to use clear, direct and accessible language in court documents and communications, with the aim of making it easier for citizens to understand.
The President of the Court of Justice of the State of Tocantins, Justice Etelvina Maria Sampaio Felipe, expressed her satisfaction and emphasized the importance of this achievement.
Simplifying legal language is an act of respect for the thousands of citizens that the Judiciary serves on a daily basis. The doors of justice need to be open to everyone, without distinction, and this directly involves the way we communicate,” she said. “We need to make ourselves understood. That's why we've embraced this important project in the Judiciary of the State of Tocantins.
The statement of the President highlights the importance of the SimpleTOC project, created by the TJTO with the aim of bringing the Judiciary closer to citizens through accessible, inclusive and understandable language. The initiative is coordinated by Roniclay Alves de Morais, assistant Judge to the President of the Court (manager), and Roberta Maciel (co-manager).
SimpleTOC was evaluated and approved by more than 750 projects from all over Brazil. In addition to the Court of Justice of the State of Tocantins, 22 other state courts, 10 labor courts, 9 electoral courts, 2 military courts and 2 federal courts were also recognized.
The practices that will be certified were analyzed along five axes: simplification of language in documents; brevity in communications; education, awareness and training; information technology; and inter-institutional and social coordination.
The ceremony to award the seal will take place on October 16th, in the White Hall of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), in the city of Brasília (DF).
National pact for the simple language
The certification is part of the actions of the National Pact of the Judiciary for the Simple Language, launched in December of 2023 in an effort to make judicial decisions more comprehensible to the general public. The pact, assumed by courts throughout Brazil, aims to ensure that legal texts are written clearly, avoiding the excessive use of technical terms that can make it difficult for citizens to understand.
Work by the simpletoc agents
The co-manager of the SimpleTOC program, Roberta Maciel, also emphasizes the importance of the seal for TJTO and the role of all those involved in this process.
Having our Court recognized with the Seal of Simple Language of the CNJ of 2024 highlights the importance of engagement within and among institutions for a priority social cause, often seen as fad or joke by the most resistant. Clarity and empathy in communication impact both the administrative sphere and the extrajudicial and judicial provision itself.
Roberta thanked the people involved, especially the SimpleTOC Agents. "We still have a lot of work ahead, since many of the actions informed to compete for the seal are in progress,"she said.
Meeting
The 1st Annual SimpleTOC Network Meeting will take place on October 15th. The event will be an opportunity to share advances and inspire more people to get involved. "We will converge efforts to inspire people to rethink how to write and effectively participate in this and future events, continuing this transformative journey. After all, a swallow does not make summer", said Roberta.
The award notice will be published before the meeting, allowing everyone to be prepared to contribute and actively participate in this movement that has transformed the way TJTO communicates with society.
