The Federal Supreme Court (STF) is the highest instance of the Brazilian judiciary, considered as the 4th instance.
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When the STF decides something, there is no appeal to any other court in Brazil.
If a person files a claim in a lower court and does not feel that the sentence was fair, and If there is an appeal, the case goes to the Court of Justice of the state where the citizen is located, which is the 2nd instance.
If he does not agree with the judge's decision, the case goes to the Superior Court of Justice (3rd instance). Finally, the person has the chance to appeal to the STF, which is the 4th and last instance in Brazilian Justice.
The ministers of the STF also have the main functions of defining whether a federal or state law or normative act is constitutional and of judging the president of the country, as well as the vice-president, the members of the National Congress and the Attorney General of the Republic, in addition to having the task of judging the ministers of the STF.
It is the highest body of the Brazilian Judiciary, comprising 11 ministers. It is up to these ministers to judge cases throughout the national territory.
STF ministers are appointed by the President of the Republic, and must receive approval from the Constitution and Justice Commission of the Federal Senate to serve in office.
The Senate must verify that the candidates nominated by the president have legal knowledge and a good reputation. If they are not involved with serious allegations, such as in cases of corruption, for example.
In November 2018, the Federal Senate allowed a 16.3% increase in the gross salary of STF ministers. This caused the ministers' average salary of R$ 33.7 thousand to be updated to R$ 39.3 thousand per month.
Also, added to this amount, the ministers receive many other benefits, such as Christmas gratuity, airline tickets, housing assistance and per diems.
All other Public Power positions have as a maximum ceiling the salary of STF ministers. With the increase in this value in 2018, the income of the civil service tends to increase in a cascade, costing at least R$ 1.7 billion to the public coffers in 2019.
