Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) gave the presidents of seven state courts a 48-hour deadline to explain payments exceeding the constitutional salary ceiling [1].

The move targets "penduricalhos," or indemnity allowances, which allow certain judicial officials to receive compensation far beyond the legal limit. If these courts fail to justify the payments, the STF ministers said they may remove the court presidents from their positions [1].

Four STF ministers led the effort: Alexandre de Moraes, Cristiano Zanin, Flávio Dino, and Gilmar Mendes [1]. The ultimatum was issued on Monday, July 6 [2].

The investigation focuses on ensuring strict compliance with the remuneration cap set by the Brazilian constitution. While some reports highlight Minister Alexandre de Moraes as the primary driver of the deadline [2], other records indicate the action was coordinated among the four ministers [1].

The seven affected state Courts of Justice must now provide detailed accounts of how these indemnity payments were calculated, and why they do not violate the ceiling [1]. The STF said it is seeking to eliminate the practice of using allowances to circumvent the legal limits on public servant salaries [2].

This enforcement action comes as part of a broader effort to increase transparency in the judiciary's payroll. The ministers are scrutinizing whether these allowances constitute actual reimbursements for expenses, or are instead disguised salary increases [1].

“STF ministers have threatened to remove the court presidents from their positions”

This crackdown represents a significant internal conflict within the Brazilian judiciary. By targeting 'penduricalhos,' the STF is attempting to close a loophole that has long allowed high-ranking judges to bypass constitutional pay caps. The threat of removing court presidents suggests the Supreme Court is willing to use administrative sanctions to enforce fiscal discipline and public accountability across state-level courts.