Rapporteur of the Appellate Court Reaches Decision in Lawsuit Concerning Former President Lula

12/05/2017 - 08h01

Federal Judge João Pedro Gebran Neto, Lava Jato Operation rapporteur at the Federal Regional Court of the 4th Region, concluded his vote in the trial that may make the former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ineligible, due to the Clean Record Act. The case was referred to the reviewer, Judge Leandro Paulsen.

Once a rapporteur has reached his decision, it takes, on average, 102 days for a ruling to be issued in court. That means that the ruling regarding Lula's lawsuit may only be released in mid-March, given that a recess is scheduled to take place in January.

The rapporteur reached his decision exactly 100 days after the lawsuit arrived at the TRF-4 Appellate Court. Lula's case has moved up the court's rungs speedily. Judges arrive at a decision on average 210 days after a lawsuit makes it to the court. Only on four occasions were decisions reached in under 100 days. Lula's appeal reached the appellate court at record speed when compared to all other appeals concerning Lava Jato rulings.

Judge Gebran's decision will remain confidential until the court resumes the trial. The next session will be scheduled as soon as the third member of the court reaches his final decision.

	Adriano Vizoni/Folhapress
	Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during the presidential campaign

BEACHFRONT PROPERTY

Lula was sentenced to 9 years and 6 months of prison by judge Sergio Moro for corruption and money laundering in connection with the beachfront property in Guarujá, São Paulo. The former president was not arrested, and would only have to start serving his sentence if the TRF-4 upholds the ruling.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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