Senate Approves Expansion of TRF-5, Bill Sent to Lula for Sanction

Overview

• The Senate approved the bill Tuesday, sending the expansion of the Federal Regional Court of the 5th Region to presidential sanction.
• The bench would grow from 24 to 27 federal appellate judges, supported by 57 new posts for analysts and judicial technicians to staff the new chambers.
• Official impact estimates differ, with an STJ figure of R$29.8 million versus R$21.8 million in 2026 projected in the bill’s budget annex.
• TRF-5, which hears federal cases in six Northeastern states, would use the added seats to rebalance workloads and to create an 'órgão especial' that decides cases more quickly.
• A separate TSE staffing package also advanced by symbolic vote, opening 794 vacancies with an estimated annual cost of R$109.3 million.