STJ Justice Decries Outside Pressure, Says Votes Are Being Sold

Overview

• Minister João Otávio de Noronha, speaking during Tuesday's Fourth Panel session, paused his vote to warn of growing interference in cases and said that people are selling votes across the country.
• He said his office received more than ten requests for meetings and phone calls asking to delay the case under review, which involved a Hyundai Corporation appeal.
• The panel granted Hyundai's appeal and voided all steps taken since the initial court summons in a dispute that dates to the 1990s and centers on alleged misidentification of the liable group company.
• The Superior Court of Justice said it would not comment on the claims, and reporting has not identified any formal inquiry or named actors tied to the alleged pressure.
• Brazilian law lets lawyers request private meetings with judges, and these off-the-record contacts are legal but often unlogged in case files, which fuels debate over equal access and fairness in high-stakes disputes.