bricslawjournalBRICS Law JournalЮридический журнал БРИКС2409-90582412-2343Publishing House V.Ема10.21684/2412-2343-2014-1-1-58-66bricslawjournal-6Research ArticleCOMMENTSPECULIARITIES OF THE REASONING OF JUDICIAL DECISIONS IN BRAZIL: THE NEW CIVIL PROCEDURE CODEWambierT. A. A.

Teresa Arruda Alvim Wambier (Curitiba, Brasil) – Full Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law

(30 Rua Hildebrando Cordeiro – Ecoville, Curitiba, 80740-350, Brasil)

teresawambier@wambier.com.brPontifical Catholic University of São PauloBrazil201422062016115866Copyright © Wambier T.A., 20162016Wambier T.A.Wambier T.A.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://www.bricslawjournal.com/jour/article/view/6

This paper deals with a relevant topic: the reasoning of a judicial decision as a requirement for its validity. In fact, this need is typical of democracies. In democracies, authorities have to justify their decisions which interfere in private lives. Decisions have to be reasoned also because they are, as a rule, appealable. What is challenged in an appeal is precisely the reasoning / motivation of judicial decisions.

The main novelty in this context is a provision which exists in a Brazilian Bill for a new Civil Procedure Code, which determines how the decision must be reasoned. It openly recognizes that a judge bases his or her decision not only on statutes literally considered, but also on legal writing and on case law. The legislator was very bold, because we are a civil law jurisdiction, where students are currently led to believe the decisions emerge automatically from statutory law.

Furthermore, this new provision teaches judges how to deal with all these elements, under penalty of having the decision being declared void or null.

decisionjudicial decisionreasoningmotivationcase lawlegal writingReferencesBankowski, Zenon, et al. On Method and Methodology, in interpreting Statutes: A Comparative Study 17 (Neil MacCormick & Robert S. Summers, eds.) (Darthmouth 1991).Bankowski, Zenon, et al. On Method and Methodology, in interpreting Statutes: A Comparative Study 17 (Neil MacCormick & Robert S. Summers, eds.) (Darthmouth 1991).Filho, Antonio M.G. A motivação das decisões penais n. 4, at 84 (2a ed., Revista dos Tribunais 2013).Filho, Antonio M.G. A motivação das decisões penais n. 4, at 84 (2a ed., Revista dos Tribunais 2013).Garapon, Antoine, & Papapoulos, ioannis. Julgar nos Estados Unidos e na França: cultura jurídica francesa e Common Law em uma perspectiva comparada 172 (Lumen Juris 2008).Garapon, Antoine, & Papapoulos, ioannis. Julgar nos Estados Unidos e na França: cultura jurídica francesa e Common Law em uma perspectiva comparada 172 (Lumen Juris 2008).Neto, Eugênio F. A sentença em perspectiva comparada; Estilos norte-americano, francês e italiano em confronto, 39(235) Revista de Processo São Paulo 407 (2014).Neto, Eugênio F. A sentença em perspectiva comparada; Estilos norte-americano, francês e italiano em confronto, 39(235) Revista de Processo São Paulo 407 (2014).Wambier, Teresa A.A. Nulidades do processo e da sentença ¶ 3.2.3, at 322 (7a ed., Revista dos Tribunais 2014).Wambier, Teresa A.A. Nulidades do processo e da sentença ¶ 3.2.3, at 322 (7a ed., Revista dos Tribunais 2014).Wambier, Teresa A.A. Precedentes e evolução do direito, in Direito Jurisprudencial ¶ 3, at 40 (Teresa A.A. Wambier, ed.) (Revista dos Tribunais 2012).Wambier, Teresa A.A. Precedentes e evolução do direito, in Direito Jurisprudencial ¶ 3, at 40 (Teresa A.A. Wambier, ed.) (Revista dos Tribunais 2012).Wambier, Teresa A.A. Recurso especial, recurso extraordinário e ação rescisória ¶ 1.4, at 28, ¶ 4.2, at 107, 151, ¶ 6.1, at 161 (2a ed., Revista dos Tribunais 2008).Wambier, Teresa A.A. Recurso especial, recurso extraordinário e ação rescisória ¶ 1.4, at 28, ¶ 4.2, at 107, 151, ¶ 6.1, at 161 (2a ed., Revista dos Tribunais 2008).

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.