Benedito Mendonça
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - Yesterday the ministers of Justce, Márcio Thomaz Bastos, and Communications, Hélio Costa, and the chief justice of the country's highest court of appeals (Superior Tribunal de Justiça) (STJ), Edson Vidigal, signed a contract that will expand access to specialized federal courts (juizados especiais federais) in 3,200 municipalities around the country. Under the terms of the contract, it will now be possible to do practically everything online. The service is part of the Electronic Government - Citizen Service program (Gesac).

According to Vidigal, "We are committed to this; there will be no backpedalling. As of now, in more than half the country's municipalities, a citizen can send in a petition or demand his rights in specialized courts without even needing a lawyer."

Online access to specialized courts will eventually be nationwide. Internet links will be installed in schools, day-care centers and community association centers.

The system will allow someone with a problem with Social Security (Previdência Social) to request or make a complaint about benefits, for example, and accompany the process via internet.

Translation: Allen Bennett