Judgment No. 25372 of 2023: The Importance of the Objective Element in Contractual Non-Compliance

The judgment No. 25372 of May 17, 2023, which featured the defendant M. G., raised important questions regarding contractual non-compliance in the public sector, particularly in the context of the provision of essential services. The Court excluded the existence of a crime under Article 355 of the Penal Code, highlighting the importance of the objective element and the quality of the services provided.

The Context of the Judgment

In the case examined, the defendant was accused of causing a non-compliance in the school catering service. However, the Court determined that the service had been provided regularly and that the discrepancies in the supply of food had not compromised the quality of the meals served. This aspect is crucial to understand the heart of the decision: the importance of considering not only the formal fulfillment of contractual conditions but also the actual impact on the quality of public service.

The Principle of the Judgment

Objective element - Contractual non-compliance determining the lack of necessary provisions for a public service - Necessity - Case. The crime under Article 355 of the Penal Code is completed in the presence of a contractual non-compliance that results in the absence of necessary goods for the performance of a public service. (Case in which the Court excluded the existence of the crime, noting that the public school catering service had been regularly provided and had not been affected by discrepancies concerning the supply of food, which, although not corresponding to those stipulated in the contract, were nonetheless of good quality and suitable for meal preparation).

This principle clarifies that, to configure the crime under Article 355, there must be a contractual non-compliance that compromises the availability of essential goods for public service. The Court, therefore, considered that despite the irregularities in the supply, the school catering service had been adequately guaranteed, thereby excluding the configurability of the crime.

Implications for Jurisprudence and the Public Sector

The judgment has significant implications, not only for the specific case but also for the public sector in general. It emphasizes the importance of a careful and contextualized analysis of contractual non-compliances, stressing the need to consider the actual impact of the services provided. If the public service is delivered satisfactorily, contractual irregularities, even if they exist, should not automatically translate into criminal liability.

  • Need for a contextual analysis in cases of non-compliance.
  • Importance of the quality of services in public services.
  • Possibility of excluding criminal liability in the presence of an adequate service.

In conclusion, judgment No. 25372 of 2023 represents an important step forward in defining the limits of criminal liability in cases of contractual non-compliance, highlighting how the objective element and the actual impact on public service are fundamental for assessing the existence of the crime.

Bianucci Law Firm