The Informalization of the Justice System and its Reverse: An Analysis of Conciliatory Proceedings

Reviews conciliatory proceedings at the Civil Small Claims Court, an institution of the Brazilian justice system that handles civil lawsuits considered of small complexity. The research drew on readings of documents, observations in hearings and interview with operators of two courts located in Sao Paulo. The work focuses on the role of conciliators, the content of the sessions and the relationship between the parties, highlighting the margin of arbitrariness that pervades the hearings, the prioritization of negotiating amounts at the expense of discussing rights and the asymmetrical relations between the parties. Adapted from the source document.