Medical experts in Brazil receive fees per report rather than fixed salaries

In the Brazilian judicial system, medical experts do not receive a fixed salary but are instead paid per report. According to the Civil Procedure Code, experts are appointed by judges for specific cases and receive fees based on the complexity of the task and the party responsible for payment.

Under Article 471 of the Civil Procedure Code, a less common practice known as consensual expertise allows parties to mutually agree on an expert, provided they are fully capable and the case allows for self-composition. In standard procedures, the judge selects a specialist from a court registry, and parties have 15 days to indicate technical assistants or question the appointment.

Remuneration for experts in cases involving free legal aid is governed by public budgets or specific court tables. For example, National Council of Justice Resolution 232 sets reference values that are adjusted annually. In private cases, fees vary significantly depending on the nature of the lawsuit, with some technical reports reaching between R$ 5,000 and R$ 15,000.