Brazil: How to identify rights to judicial precatórios

Precatórios are legal instruments used to pay debts recognized by the judiciary when there is no longer a possibility of appeal. These credits can stem from various sources, including pension differences, salaries, pensions, indemnities, or tax issues.

According to lawyer Isabella Chaves of Sonar Precatórios, these credits are classified as either 'alimentary' (related to salaries, pensions, or indemnities) or 'non-alimentary' (involving expropriations or taxes).

To determine if an individual is entitled to a precatório, they must first identify the specific lawsuit and the judicial branch where it was processed. Consultations must be conducted directly with the responsible body: State processes are generally handled by Courts of Justice (Tribunais de Justiça), labor actions by Regional Labor Courts (Tribunais Regionais do Trabalho), and federal processes by Regional Federal Courts (Tribunais Regionais Federais). Some systems, such as the Court of Justice of Minas Gerais (TJMG), allow searches via beneficiary name, CPF, or the process number.