Public servants, self-legitimacy, and trust: Judiciary

This research examines the legitimacy of the judiciary from the perceptions of the judges as well as the contacts established between magistrates and the population. Inspired by the core debates within the CEPID/FAPESP, we understand that the perception of judges about their legitimacy is fundamental to the legitimacy of the institution itself. Thus, we stem from a qualitative approach in an attempt to understand how judges perceive and build their authority and legitimacy, considering the importance of the contact established with the population in this construction. The first stage of the research consisted of qualitative interviews with judges working across different fields of law. Since our objective was to access the notions of judicial authority fashioned by the judges themselves, the interviews considered opinions about the judiciary’s internal relations as well as the contact established with the population. The second stage of the research consists of observing the interactions among the actors who participate in custody hearings. The observation of the hearings allows us to delve further into the subject and analyze the judges’ authority building based on their own views, as well as from the interactions with the other actors who participate in the hearing situation.