When Institutional Multiplicity Backfires: The Battle Over the Jurisdiction to Prosecute Politicians for Administrative Improbity in Brazil

Abstract Brazilian Administrative Improbity Act (Law n. 8.429/1992) created a different form of punishment for corrupt behavior and it may be understood as an attempt to introduce institutional multiplicity in the country’s legal system. Even though the law has been largely applied and resulted in t...

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Main Author: Vivian Pereira Ferreira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Escola de Direito 2021-12-01
Series:Revista Direito GV
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1808-24322021000200804&tlng=en
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author Vivian Pereira Ferreira
author_facet Vivian Pereira Ferreira
author_sort Vivian Pereira Ferreira
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Brazilian Administrative Improbity Act (Law n. 8.429/1992) created a different form of punishment for corrupt behavior and it may be understood as an attempt to introduce institutional multiplicity in the country’s legal system. Even though the law has been largely applied and resulted in the imposition of sanctions, it also has limitations: cases often taken several years before being concluded and the recovery of assets has not been substantial overtime. This paper seeks to elucidate some of the reasons why this might have happened. We argue that poor legal design combined with legal implementation problems resulted in delays in final judicial decisions. This paper focuses on a topic that has occupied Brazilian courts for a long time: determining in which jurisdiction should authorities and politicians be tried for administrative improbity. We describe the most prominent Supreme Court’s decisions about the theme and try to draw institutional lessons from them, by developing feasible solutions to improve the enforcement of Law n. 8.429/1992.
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spelling doaj-art-3faa8cacab8d485ca1171a586baa44fe2025-02-02T01:30:00ZengFundação Getúlio Vargas, Escola de DireitoRevista Direito GV2317-61722021-12-0117210.1590/2317-6172202130When Institutional Multiplicity Backfires: The Battle Over the Jurisdiction to Prosecute Politicians for Administrative Improbity in BrazilVivian Pereira Ferreirahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4529-1190Abstract Brazilian Administrative Improbity Act (Law n. 8.429/1992) created a different form of punishment for corrupt behavior and it may be understood as an attempt to introduce institutional multiplicity in the country’s legal system. Even though the law has been largely applied and resulted in the imposition of sanctions, it also has limitations: cases often taken several years before being concluded and the recovery of assets has not been substantial overtime. This paper seeks to elucidate some of the reasons why this might have happened. We argue that poor legal design combined with legal implementation problems resulted in delays in final judicial decisions. This paper focuses on a topic that has occupied Brazilian courts for a long time: determining in which jurisdiction should authorities and politicians be tried for administrative improbity. We describe the most prominent Supreme Court’s decisions about the theme and try to draw institutional lessons from them, by developing feasible solutions to improve the enforcement of Law n. 8.429/1992.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1808-24322021000200804&tlng=enPolitical corruptionadministrative improbityinstitutional reformlaw enforcementinstitutional multiplicity
spellingShingle Vivian Pereira Ferreira
When Institutional Multiplicity Backfires: The Battle Over the Jurisdiction to Prosecute Politicians for Administrative Improbity in Brazil
Revista Direito GV
Political corruption
administrative improbity
institutional reform
law enforcement
institutional multiplicity
title When Institutional Multiplicity Backfires: The Battle Over the Jurisdiction to Prosecute Politicians for Administrative Improbity in Brazil
title_full When Institutional Multiplicity Backfires: The Battle Over the Jurisdiction to Prosecute Politicians for Administrative Improbity in Brazil
title_fullStr When Institutional Multiplicity Backfires: The Battle Over the Jurisdiction to Prosecute Politicians for Administrative Improbity in Brazil
title_full_unstemmed When Institutional Multiplicity Backfires: The Battle Over the Jurisdiction to Prosecute Politicians for Administrative Improbity in Brazil
title_short When Institutional Multiplicity Backfires: The Battle Over the Jurisdiction to Prosecute Politicians for Administrative Improbity in Brazil
title_sort when institutional multiplicity backfires the battle over the jurisdiction to prosecute politicians for administrative improbity in brazil
topic Political corruption
administrative improbity
institutional reform
law enforcement
institutional multiplicity
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1808-24322021000200804&tlng=en
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