Brasília, December 9, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Reform of the Judiciary is the central theme of the Meeting of Presidents of Federal Courts of Appeals from Portuguese-Speaking Countries, starting tomorrow (10), in the city of Praia, capital of Cape Verde. The president of the Federal Court of Appeals (STJ), Nilson Naves, will head the Brazilian delegation, which includes federal judge Jorge Antônio Maurique as debater.

During the working sessions, the condition of Justice in each country and the need for reforms in the Judiciary will be debated. Brazil will expound the principal items of the reform that is currently under scrutiny in the National Congress, the perspectives of the STJ and the Federal Council of Justice on this question, and Brazilian attempts to make Justice more agile, such as the creation of federal and state small claims courts. (DAS)