JUSTICE IN REMOTE LANDS: JUDICIAL POLICIES AND THE CHALLENGES OF ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN THE INTERIOR OF AMAZONAS

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the limitations and potential of judicial policies implemented in the interior of the state of Amazonas, from 2021 to 2025, with an emphasis on overcoming geographical barriers and enforcing the right of access to justice for riverside, indigenous, and isolated communities. The aim was to understand how the geography of the territory influences the functioning of the Judiciary and to what extent the initiatives adopted by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) and the Court of Justice of the State of Amazonas (TJAM) have responded to local specificities. The methodology used was qualitative in nature, based on documentary analysis of institutional plans, statistical data, and official reports. The research also included an interdisciplinary bibliographic review, articulating references from Law, Geography, and Social Sciences. The time frame covers the cycle of the TJAM Strategic Plan 2021–2026, which allowed an evaluation of the most recent guidelines aimed at the interiorization of judicial services. The results indicate that, despite advances promoted by the Justice 4.0 Program — such as the 100% Digital Court, the Virtual Counter and the Digital Inclusion Points —, such policies face serious structural and social limitations in the Amazonian countryside. The standardization of digital solutions proves ineffective in contexts marked by digital exclusion and the lack of basic services. On the other hand, instruments such as community mediation, cooperative action and respect for local knowledge have proven more promising. It is concluded that access to justice in the Amazon requires public policies adapted to the territorial, cultural and socioeconomic reality of the region. It is essential to overcome the urban and technocratic model, adopting an intercultural, decentralized justice system that is truly committed to equity and inclusion.