Edson Fachin, president of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) and the National Council of Justice (CNJ), announced a task force to regulate judicial salaries.

The move addresses long-standing criticism regarding "penduricalhos" — the extra benefits and bonuses that often push judicial pay far beyond legal limits. By targeting these supplements, the initiative seeks to increase transparency and moralize public spending within the Brazilian legal system.

Fachin established the working group through an ordinance published on June 5, 2026 [1]. The group is charged with reviewing the remuneration of Brazilian magistrates to identify and restrict excessive payouts. The end goal is the presentation of a formal bill to Congress by the end of 2026 [2].

"Precisamos revisar todos os penduricalhos pagos aos magistrados," Fachin said [3].

The initiative has found support among legislative leaders. Davi Alcolumbre, discussing the potential legislation, focused on the need for systemic reform to ensure the judiciary does not operate outside the financial realities of the state.

"É fundamental combater os supersalários no Judiciário," Alcolumbre said [4].

The task force will examine how these bonuses are calculated and applied across different levels of the judiciary. This includes both judges and desembargadores, the appellate court judges. The resulting bill will aim to create a strict regulatory framework for the salary regime to prevent the recurrence of pay scales that exceed the constitutional ceiling.

According to reports from Terra, the working group will specifically discuss the overall remuneration structure for magistrates across the country [5]. This effort reflects a broader push in Brasília to reduce government waste and align public sector pay with transparency standards.

“"Precisamos revisar todos os penduricalhos pagos aos magistrados."”

This initiative signals a rare internal effort by the Brazilian judiciary to self-regulate its compensation. By moving toward a legislative solution, the STF is attempting to preempt political backlash over 'super-salaries' while addressing a chronic issue where bonuses allow officials to bypass the legal pay cap. The success of the measure will depend on whether the proposed bill can survive the interests of the magistrates it intends to limit.