THE CLOSURE OF DISTRICTS IN BRAZIL: IMPACTS ON ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND CHALLENGES FOR THE LOW-INCOME RURAL POPULATION

Abstract

This dissertation aims to analyze the impacts of the closure of district courts in Brazil on access to justice for rural low-income populations, considering the social, institutional and legal effects resulting from this judicial reorganization policy. The study is based on the assumption that such populations are socially vulnerable groups and, therefore, suffer disproportionately from the absence of the Judiciary in their territories, facing material, symbolic and technological obstacles that compromise the effectiveness of fundamental rights. The research is based on a mixed methodological approach, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques, based on bibliographic review, document analysis and statistical survey. Academic and institutional sources of recognized credibility were used, such as scientific articles, reports from the National Council of Justice (CNJ), data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), publications from the Public Defender's Office of the Union (DPU), legislation and judicial decisions. The analysis was structured based on data triangulation, allowing for the correlation between theoretical, normative, and empirical aspects of the phenomenon under investigation. The results confirm that the closure of districts increases the legal exclusion of populations that already face multiple vulnerabilities, such as geographic isolation, low levels of education, digital exclusion, lack of specialized legal services, and lack of adequate public policies. The concentration of judicial services in urban centers reinforces inequality of access and compromises the universality of justice, violating the constitutional principles of human dignity, material equality, and the inalienability of jurisdiction. In addition to highlighting the consequences of judicial restructuring, the dissertation proposes alternatives to mitigate its negative effects, such as the expansion of the Public Defender's Office in rural areas, the strengthening of itinerant justice, digital inclusion, and the adoption of social and territorial criteria in defining the judicial network. It is concluded that ensuring access to justice for the rural and low-income population requires not only the maintenance of physical structures, but also an institutional commitment to equity and social justice, reaffirming the role of the State in promoting fundamental rights in an effective and universal manner.