This paper examines the symbolic dimension of legal discourse as a constructor of realities, among the institutions linked to the professions of social work. It demonstrates that the technically based opinions of these agents are transformed into reports that can corroborate judicial decisions, contributing to the construction of social concepts about the population. At the same time, it analyzes the distinct forms of experiencing the law among an expressive portion of Brazilian society that have a specific subjectivity. To do so, it studies the factors that mark the separation between formal law on one hand, and the uses and customs practiced daily by the majority of people, on the other. Finally, it examines the reasons for which Brazilians identify much more closely with informal norms, established by experiential groups and accepted by the majority, than with formal laws. This informally structured legislation reveals the obedience to implicit codes, not officially legalized.
law; symbolic power; subjectivity; Brazilian way; juridical speech