Creation of simple tools, such as a virtual system of negotiation, through a program aimed at the indebted, and even a more complex project, strengthening the Judiciary in the interior of the Amazon, are initiatives that have led Brazilian courts to win the Conciliate Is Legal Award, from the National Council of Justice (CNJ) in recent years.
Registrations for the 15th edition of the award are open until November 8th. The deadline, which would end on September 27th, was extended to allow its wide dissemination and to provide opportunities for the participation of all actors involved in the policy. In the case of courts, practices must be registered through the Portal of Good Practices of the Judiciary of the CNJ, as well as for the category Individual Judge.
The award recognizes self-serving initiatives developed by the judiciary and representatives of civil society that contribute to the effective pacification of conflicts and the consolidation of the Judicial Policy for the Adequate Treatment of Conflicts. The prize may also be awarded to initiatives from the following categories: Instructors of Mediators and Conciliators; Superior Education; Mediation and Extrajudicial Conciliation; Complex or Collective Demands; and Advocacy.
Know the complete regulation of the prize.
The Court category includes the court that stands out for creation, planning, implementation and institutionalization of good self-composing practices, regardless of the segment of Justice it integrates.
The actions admitted in the Portal of Good Practices of the Judiciary of the CNJ, in the thematic axis on "Conciliation and Mediation" between January 1st and July 23rd this year, date of publication of the regulation of the edition of 2024, will automatically compete for the prize.
Relief for indebted
In 2023, the "Program for the Treatment of Over-Indebted Consumers (Pro indebted)", from the Court of Justice of the State of Pernambuco (CJEC), won in the Over-Indebtedness category. Through simultaneous negotiations, involving sometimes five creditors, thousands of agreements were approved, bringing relief to several people. Financial education and psychological support for the indebted are also part of the program.
The initiative "Conciliation at Home" of the Court of Justice of the State of Minas Gerais (TJMG) was awarded in 2022. Its purpose is to facilitate communication between the parties and contribute to the speed of conflict resolution. It is possible, for example that the court official acts as a partner in conciliation in the execution of judicial orders, allowing the parties to negotiate without the need to travel to the forum.
Consumer right
In 2021, the winner was the "Virtual Negotiation System" of the Court of Justice of the State of Bahia (TJBA). It allows, in proceedings involving Consumer Law, the resolution of conflicts through direct dialogue between complainants and companies complained about in a secure and permanent electronic environment.
Bringing conciliation to the interior of the largest State in Brazil in territorial extension is the objective of the project on "Families, Justice and full citizenship in the interior of the Amazon", from the local court of justice (TJAM), winner of the award of 2020. Through concentrated hearings of conciliations, it has been possible to reduce the collection significantly.
Magistrates actions
The edition of this year brings back the Individual Judge category. The last initiative to receive the award, in 2021, was the service robot Jefinho, a CHATBOT platform with artificial intelligence and machine learning, created by the Single Court of the subsection of the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF1) in the city of Picos/ PI. Thanks to it, it was possible to meet 80% of the demands of the unit digitally.
Promote the pacification of conflicts in the school context, restoring social relations, in harmony with the principles of the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA), is the objective of the project on "Multidisciplinary Team for Prevention and Conciliation in School" (Emprece), idealized by the Regional Board of Childhood and Youth of the city of Petrolina/ PE, winner in 2020.
