The Evolving Role of Brazil's Supreme Court by Justice José Dias Toffoli

Inspired by the hopeful evolution of the nation’s crisis, the Brazil Institute launched in July 2016 a lecture series to explore the various institutional aspects of this historic, ongoing transformation in Latin America’s largest country. The initiative, reflective of a broader Wilson Center focus on the global fight against corruption, brings to Washington audiences the judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, legal experts, and practitioners engaged in the evolution of justice and rule of law in Brazil. The series is conducted in partnership with the American University’s Washington College of Law. Edited proceedings of each lecture will be available online, with lectures from the entire series collected in a volume to be published in the second semester of 2017. It is our hope that the statements gathered in this series will shed light on the ongoing efforts of a diverse group of actors to strengthen Brazilian institutions, and deepen the dialogue on rule of law both within and beyond Brazil.

JUSTICE JOSÉ ANTÔNIO DIAS TOFFOLI was named to the Brazilian Supreme Court by former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva: one of the youngest justices to ever serve on on Brazil's highest court. Justice Dias Toffoli studied at the prestigious law faculty of the University of São Paulo. Before being appointed to the Court, Justice Dias Toffoli served as Federal Solicitor General and General Counsel of the Workers' Party. Justice Dias Toffoli headed Brazil's Superior Electoral Tribunal from 2014 until earlier this year. The Tribunal supervises elections at every level througout Brazil. In September 2018, Justice Dias Toffoli will become President of the Supreme Court, a position which rotates among the justices of the Court.