LITIGANT AND DECISION-MAKING PROFILES IN SMALL CLAIMS COURTS

AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SMALL CLAIMS CIVIL COURT OF CACOAL/RO

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to examine access to justice in the Special Civil Court of the District of Cacoal/RO, focusing on verifying compliance with its fundamental principles. The study seeks to assess whether the guarantee of access to justice, as a Fundamental Right, is being effectively respected, in addition to analyzing the litigant and decision-making profiles of the aforementioned court in the period from 2017 to 2021. The research relates access to justice with the Special Courts , using data collected at national, state and municipal levels, specifically from the National Council of Justice, through the Justice in Numbers System, and from the Court of Justice of Rondônia, via the Eólis system, developed by the General Inspectorate of Justice. The methodological approach combines qualitative and quantitative techniques to demonstrate that the Special Civil Courts system, designed to serve a specific segment of the population, has been used by other segments and for demands not originally foreseen. The research questions the reasons for high judicialization based on empirical data collected at the Cacoal/RO Special Court unit, describes the litigants and decision-making profiles, and proposes effective alternatives to reduce the increase in demands.