STF Pay Ruling Creates Temporary ‘Superteto’ for Judges and Prosecutors

Overview

• The Supreme Court set a temporary pay framework for the Judiciary and the Public Ministry that also covers public defenders, government advocates and audit courts until Congress passes a law.
• The thesis permits up to 35% in indemnities and revives a five‑year longevity bonus that can add another 35%, pushing potential monthly pay for those groups to about R$78.8 thousand.
• Pressure spread to the wider civil service as the Fonacate coalition asked the management ministry and Congress to restore the quinquênio for other careers based on the court’s move.
• The Brazilian Judges Association said the ruling causes severe immediate pay cuts for many magistrates, signaling strong pushback inside the judiciary.
• The fiscal impact remains uncertain, with an STF study mapping billions in past extra‑ceiling outlays and the 2026 budget warning the time‑in‑service bonus alone could cost about R$1.1 billion, while disputes over whether travel per diems count toward the new limits are unresolved.