This project is ongoing. Descriptions, methods and results may be updated after further validation.
Educational and informational content. It is not legal advice, guidance for a specific case or an institutional position. Examples and analyses use only legitimate sources and public data, aggregated or properly anonymised.
Research question
Do binding precedents actually diffuse and get applied by the courts of origin? How fast, and with which territorial differences?
Motivation
The qualified-precedent system of Brazil's 2015 Civil Procedure Code promises uniformity and predictability. Measuring whether, when and where courts start applying each precedent allows the promise to be assessed with data rather than doctrine alone.
Data
- Binding precedents of the STJ and STF (repetitive-appeal themes and general repercussion)
- Lower-court decisions citing or applying each precedent
Methodology
- Natural language processing to detect application and citation
- Diffusion models and time-to-adoption by court
Limitations
- The proof of concept has not been run yet; the pilot precedent is being defined.
Implications
- Precedent-compliance indicators for court management and for the debate on the precedent system.
Planned applied products (possible outreach, subject to registration)
- Precedent-diffusion dashboard by court