Judge protests as Supreme Court decision cuts his income by 20%

Judge Mário Márcio de Almeida Souza of Maranhão has voiced profound frustration after a Supreme Federal Court (STF) decision significantly reduced his income. The 52-year-old judge, who has served for 24 years, stated he "woke up to the news that the STF had undermined his life projects," including the tranquil old age he envisioned upon choosing the demanding legal career.

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I woke up to the news that the Supreme Federal Court had undermined my life projects, including a comfortable old age, something I have always aimed for since choosing the arduous career of the magistracy.

Souza estimates a loss of at least 20% in his net monthly income due to the cuts, affecting funds previously recognized by the National Council of Justice and, he believes, the STF itself. He expressed that his financial planning was based on the stability and predictability of his judicial salary, and the sudden reduction has caused him and his family considerable anxiety.

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Because I trusted my institutions, I made financial commitments and, obviously, counted on these amounts to guarantee a comfortable future for myself and my family.

In a letter titled 'Carta de um juiz' (A Judge's Letter), Souza lamented what he described as an "absolute institutional degradation." He criticized the pervasive corruption and what he perceives as a lack of accountability for public figures, contrasting it with the impact of the STF's decision on his own livelihood. The judge's sentiments highlight a growing discontent among some members of the judiciary regarding financial security and the perceived fairness of institutional decisions.

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Month after month, waiting for the payslip has become a cause for anguish and distress. Will there be further reductions? At fifty-two years old, a father of three and a grandfather, I never imagined I would go through such humiliation.