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Courts of Brazil

Two top courts share the top: the Federal Supreme Court on the Constitution and the Superior Court of Justice on federal law. Below them are state and federal courts, plus labour, electoral and military courts.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Federal Supreme Court (STF)Final court on the Constitution

State and federal ordinary courts

Superior Court of Justice (STJ)Final court on federal (non-constitutional) law, for both state and federal courts
State Courts of Justice / Regional Federal Courts (TRFs)State and federal appeal courts run in parallel
State trial courts / federal trial courts

Labour courts

Superior Labour Court (TST)
Regional Labour Courts
Labour courts

Electoral and military courts

Superior Electoral Court (TSE)
Superior Military Court
Appeals travel up the arrows. Boxes with a heavier border are the top court of each track.

Worth knowing

  • Any judge can decide that a law is unconstitutional in a case, and the Federal Supreme Court can strike down laws for everyone.

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Read the Brazil profile in the Legal Families Atlas →

Sources

Other systems

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TheLawToKnow Tools’s court-structure diagrams are simplified on purpose and are not legal advice. Report a mistake.