São Paulo Bar Association Proposes 12-Year Term Limits and a Minimum Age of 50 for Brazil’s Supreme Court Justices
São Paulo's bar association wants a fixed 12-year term and a minimum age of 50 for Brazil's Supreme Court justices, and a rollback of foro privilegiado for politicians. The post São Paulo Bar Association Proposes 12-Year Term Limits and a Minimum Age of 50 for Brazil’s Supreme Court Justices appeared first on The Rio Times .
Brazil's São Paulo Bar Association has presented a comprehensive reform plan aimed at overhauling the country's Supreme Court. The 77-page proposal, delivered on August 15, 2026, includes five constitutional amendments, draft bills, and a suggested resolution. Central to the plan are the introduction of a fixed 12-year term for justices, a minimum age requirement of 50 years for appointment, and the elimination of special privileges for politicians.
Currently, justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 75, with no defined term length, potentially leading to long tenures. The bar association argues that these changes would refresh the court more predictably and reduce political influence in judicial appointments. The proposal also calls for criminal cases against high-ranking officials to be heard by regional federal courts rather than the Supreme Court, aiming to decouple the court's role from political prosecutions.
Led by OAB-SP President Leonardo Sica, the plan was developed over a year by a study commission of top jurists and is now awaiting consideration by Brazil's National Congress and the Supreme Court itself.
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