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Commentary on Judgment No. 15427 of 2023: Powers of Control of the Judge in the Validation of Arrest

Judgment No. 15427 of January 31, 2023 represents an important moment of reflection regarding the powers of control of the judge in the phase of validating the arrest. In particular, the Court reiterated that the judge must limit himself to evaluating the actions of the judicial police in terms of reasonableness, avoiding making assessments of merit concerning the responsibility of the suspect.

The Role of the Judge in the Validation of Arrest

According to the Court's ruling, in the validation of the arrest, the judge must verify compliance with the terms provided by Articles 386 and 390 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The main function of this control is to ensure that the arrest was made in accordance with current regulations, without delving into the merits of the evidentiary gravity or precautionary needs.

Judicial control powers - Scope of operation - Case. In the validation of the arrest, the judge, having verified compliance with the terms established in Articles 386, paragraph 3, and 390, paragraph 1, of the Code of Criminal Procedure, must evaluate the actions of the judicial police according to the parameter of reasonableness, based on the elements known at the time, in relation to the state of flagrance and the hypothesizability of one of the crimes indicated in Articles 380 and 381 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, in a perspective that should not concern the evidentiary gravity and precautionary needs, nor the responsibility of the suspect, as assessments reserved for distinct phases of the procedure. (In application of the principle, the Court annulled without referral the order of non-validation of the arrest, as it contained significant merit evaluations related to the credibility of the alternative version of the facts presented by the suspect).

Practical Application of the Judgment

The Court annulled without referral the order of non-validation of the arrest, emphasizing that merit evaluations on the credibility of the version provided by the suspect are not within the judge's competence at this stage. This aspect is crucial, as it highlights the risk of confusing the role of the judge with that of the judicial police authorities. The judgment clarifies that the judge must limit himself to a legality assessment, without delving into the merits of the evidence.

  • Verification of compliance with legal terms
  • Evaluation according to the parameter of reasonableness
  • Exclusion of assessments on the responsibility of the suspect

Conclusions

In summary, Judgment No. 15427 of 2023 provides an important indication regarding the role of the judge in the phase of validating the arrest, highlighting the need for a rigorous distinction between control functions and merit functions. This principle of reasonableness is fundamental to ensuring respect for the rights of the suspect and the legality of the actions of the judicial police. The decision represents a significant step towards a more equitable legal system that respects procedural guarantees.