The judicial holidays began on 16 July and will continue until 31 August. During this period, ‘non-urgent cases are suspended,’ but the courts do not close completely and justice ‘does not stop.’ This period has an impact on the judicial system and tends to exacerbate delays in justice, according to lawyers contacted by Negócios. Even so, they agree that this should not be called into question, as it is a period that is ‘linked to the protection of the rights of those who work in the justice system,’ particularly given the workload of professionals in the sector.
Contacted by Jornal de Negócios, Vicente Caldeira Pires points out that ‘a period of interruption of deadlines is essential for there to be freedom of access to the legal profession, since it is judicial officials who are most subject to meeting deadlines’. On the other hand, he emphasises that ‘it is during this period that judicial officials are able to follow up on a series of procedures which, given the obvious shortage of resources, they are unable to complete within a reasonable time frame’.
Regarding the reform of the justice sector, our partner notes that ‘the justice sector is one of the sectors most in need of reform and where it will possibly be easiest to implement and see results.’