Judge Removed After Drinking Wine and Smoking During Court Session
Listen to the story
A judge in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has been suspended from his position after being seen drinking wine and smoking during an official court session.
The order came from the Corregedoria-Geral de Justiça, a body that oversees the conduct of judges within the TJMG, the state's main court.
Video or reports of the incident showed the judge behaving this way while a judgment session was taking place, which is considered unacceptable conduct for someone in his position.
After the incident became public and he was suspended, the judge responded by strongly criticizing Brazil's top judicial bodies.
He accused the STF (Supreme Federal Court) and the STJ (Superior Court of Justice) of being corrupt, along with the TJMG itself, the court where he works.
These accusations were made publicly, adding to the controversy surrounding his behaviour during the session.
The Corregedoria-Geral de Justiça acts as an internal watchdog, checking whether judges follow proper rules of conduct.
By ordering his removal, it signalled that drinking and smoking during an official session broke these standards.
The case has drawn attention in Brazil, raising questions about professional behaviour among judges and how courts should react to such misconduct.
It remains unclear whether the judge will face further disciplinary action beyond the suspension already ordered.
Vocabulary10 words
- suspended
- stopped from working for a period of time
- session
- an official meeting, especially in court
- oversees
- watches and controls something
- corrupt
- dishonest, especially using power wrongly
- watchdog
- a group that checks if rules are followed
- misconduct
- bad or wrong behaviour
- judgment session
- a court meeting where a decision is made
- controversy
- public disagreement or anger about something
- disciplinary action
- punishment given for breaking rules
- conduct
- the way a person behaves
Quiz
Answer key
1. For drinking wine and smoking during a court session 2. The Corregedoria-Geral de Justiça 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A judge in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has been _____ from his position after being seen drinking wine and smoking during an official court session.
The order came from the Corregedoria-Geral de Justiça, a body that _____ the conduct of judges within the TJMG, the state's main court.
Video or reports of the incident showed the judge behaving this way while a judgment session was taking place, which is considered unacceptable conduct for someone in his position.
After the incident became public and he was suspended, the judge responded by strongly criticizing Brazil's top judicial bodies.
He accused the STF and the STJ of being _____, along with the TJMG itself, the court where he works.
These accusations were made publicly, adding to the _____ surrounding his behaviour during the session.
The Corregedoria-Geral de Justiça acts as an internal _____, checking whether judges follow proper rules of conduct.
By ordering his removal, it signalled that drinking and smoking during an official session broke these standards.
The case has drawn attention in Brazil, raising questions about professional behaviour among judges and how courts should react to such _____.
It remains unclear whether the judge will face further _____ beyond the suspension already ordered.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think drinking and smoking during a court session is seen as unacceptable behaviour?
- Do you think the punishment (suspension) was appropriate for this situation? Why or why not?
- How might this incident affect public trust in the justice system?
- What responsibilities do you think judges have regarding their public behaviour?