REPRESENTATIVE FEDERAL SUPREME COURT? THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS IN THE DELIBERATION

Abstract

The paper aims to analyse the counter majoritarian role exercised by the Brazilian Supreme Court in comparison with a wider participation of civil society through instruments such as public hearings. From a perspective of democratic representation doctrines, the article engages in an empirical study of data and figures seeking to identify the effective influence of those hearings in the Supreme Court deliberation process. In light with the methodology employed, the research was based on a qualitative data analysis, which endeavour uneven bars causalities, related to the hearings that were realized and whose cases were held. At the end, I conclude that the public hearings are below of its dialogical capacity and far behind to influence the deliberation of the Supreme Court.

Brazilian Supreme Court; representation; deliberation democracy; public hearings