Brazil's national justice overseer Mauro Campbell ordered the precautionary removal of Judge Milton Lívio Lemos Salles on Tuesday [1].
The suspension highlights the ongoing struggle to maintain professional judicial standards as courts transition to virtual proceedings. Such conduct raises questions about the integrity of legal rulings delivered during remote sessions.
Campbell issued the decision on the 11th [1] following reports from the Tribunal de Justiça de Minas Gerais (TJMG). The order comes after Salles was observed drinking wine and smoking while presiding over a virtual trial session [1].
Judicial conduct rules in Brazil prohibit the use of alcohol or tobacco during official court proceedings. The overseer said the behavior of the judge violated these established standards of professionalism and decorum [1].
The precautionary removal serves as an immediate measure while the court reviews the incident. This action ensures that the judge does not preside over further cases until a final determination on his status is made by the judicial council [1].
The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Minas Gerais court, where virtual hearings have become a standard part of the legal process. The removal of a sitting judge for behavior during a digital session marks a strict application of conduct rules in the remote era [1].
“Mauro Campbell ordered the precautionary removal of Judge Milton Lívio Lemos Salles”
This disciplinary action signals a crackdown on the perceived informality of virtual courts. By suspending a judge for behavior that might have gone unnoticed in a physical courtroom, the National Council of Justice is asserting that digital hearings carry the same weight and requirement for solemnity as traditional proceedings.
