December 1, 2021
Judge Messitte Receives Award from Brazil’s Superior Labor Court
In a Solemn Session of the Superior Labor Court of Brazil in Brasília, on December 1st, 2021, Judge Messitte was awarded the Comenda da Ordem do Mérito Judiciário do Trabalho by Maria Cristina Peduzzi, Minister President of the Court.
This honor was given in recognition of the Judge’s longtime significant service to the Judiciary of Brazil, especially his contributions in the labor and procedural law areas. The ceremony took place at the Superior Labor Court and several authorities participated such as Ministers of the Supreme Federal Tribunal – the President Luiz Fux and Minister Kássio Nunes Marques; and, the First Lady of Brazil, Michelle Bolsonaro, who were also awardees.
November 18, 2021
Coordinated by Judge Messitte, Professor Sólon Cunha and Dean Oscar Vieira Vilhena, American University Washington College of Law & Law School of Getúlio Vargas Foundation (Fundação Getúlio Vargas / São Paulo) – Virtual Seminar on Comparative Labor Law – Brazil & the U.S. Among the speakers were three Ministers of the Superior Labor Court of Brazil (TST), as well as distinguished professors and practitioners in Brazil and the US, specialized in Labor Law. Over 900 persons attended the virtual event.
November 4, 2021
Speaker, Virtual – International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – Judge Messitte addressed Commercial Court Judges of Rio de Janeiro & São Paulo on the topic of Arbitration and the Courts in the U.S.
October 5, 2021
Speaker, Virtual. Judge Messitte spoke about “American Procedural Law: A Comparative View” at the Master’s Graduate Program in Social Relations & Labor Law, University of the Federal District (Brasilia).
September 21, 2021
Speaker, Virtual – 15th Anniversary of the Program of Brazil’s National School for Labor Court Judges (ENAMAT). Judge Messitte spoke on the topic of “Precedents in America: A Comparison with Precedents in Brazil.”
March 25, 2021
Speaker, Virtual – YouTube Live – “Direito Sem Fronteiras” (“Law Without Borders”) to the Brazil’s Judicial School for Labor Court Judges for the 14th Region, Rondônia and Acre, Brazil. Judge Messitte spoke on the topic of “The North American Procedural Order: A Comparative View”.
November 13, 2020
Speaker, Virtual – Judge Messitte spoke about “The American Legal System and American Courts”, Judicial School for Brazilian Labor Court Judges for the 1st Region, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
October 22, 2020
Speaker, Virtual – “Delivering Justice in the U.S. during the Covid-19 Pandemic” was the topic of Judge Messitte’s talk. Brazilian Federal Judge Caroline Tauk and the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sponsored the program.
October 21, 2020
Speaker, Virtual – “The Anti-corruption Fight in the U.S.” Dr. Affonso Ghizzo Neto’s Webinar. Judge Messitte spoke about “What Do You Have to Do to Combat Corruption?” Project, Ministério Público (Government Agency for Law Enforcement and Prosecution of Crimes) of Santa Catarina, Joinville, Brazil.
September 9, 2020
Speaker, Virtual – International Seminar on Social Rights to the Brazil’s Judicial School for Labor Court Judges for the 18th Region, Goiás, Brazil. Judge Messitte spoke on the topic of “Social Rights in the United States”.
August 26, 2020
Speaker, Virtual – Judge Messitte spoke on the topic of “The Use of Technology by the Judiciary” to Labor Court Judges for the 4th Region, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
August 7, 2020
Speaker, Virtual – Judge Messitte gave the inaugural lecture to Graduate Students at the Instituto Toledo de Ensino (a law school located in Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil) on the subject of “Due Process of Law.” At the end, it was announced that Judge Messitte would be awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the Institute.
July 7, 2020
Speaker, Virtual – Judge Messitte spoke about COVID-19 & the Courts in the US at the Instituto Brasiliense de Direito Público in Brasília.
June 24, 2020
Speaker, Virtual – to the Brazilian Labor Court for the 6th Region, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Judge Messitte spoke about US Courts in general, Labor Justice in the US, Case Management in Civil Litigation and COVID-19 and US Courts.
February 27-28, 2020
The Sixth Annual Encounter of Brazilian & American Justices consisted of a seminar on Economic Analysis of the Law. As in the past, several high court justices, attorneys, public ministry and professors from Brazil as well as prominent American counterparts participated. The key note speaker was Minister Luiz Fux, Vice-President of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Tribunal, who is expected to assume the Presidency of the Tribunal in late 2020.
October 10, 2019
Judge Messitte spoke at the Brazilian Association of Institutional and Governmental Relations (ABRIG) on the topic of “How a Deficient Judicial System Affects the Economic Development of a Country.” ABRIG, has its headquarters in Brasília, and is currently implementing a joint agreement with the Autonomous Law Faculty of São Paulo (FADISP). The latter is in the process of developing an Educational Services Agreement with WCL to bring 20-25 of its students to WCL in April 2020 for a program on Anti-corruption. Judge Messitte will coordinate the program along with WCL Adjunct Professor Nancy Boswell.
October 9, 2019
Brazilian Minister of Justice Sergio Moro hosted Judge Messitte for a talk on “Plea Bargaining” to members of the Ministry of Justice in Brasilia. The concept of plea bargaining has been increasingly used in Brazil in political corruption cases. Minister Moro, formerly a federal judge in the city of Curitiba, has been largely responsible for implementation of the concept, particularly in connection with prosecutions in the Operation Carwash (Lava Jato) cases.
October 9, 2019
Judge Messitte received the Dom Quixote Trophy from the Justice and Citizenship Institute for contributions to Brazilian law & justice at a ceremony held at the Supreme Federal Tribunal. President Minister José Antonio Dias Toffoli of the Tribunal presented the trophy. Judge Messitte delivered a response on behalf of all the awardees at the ceremony, thanking everyone for their support.
October 7-8, 2019
At three separate venues in São Paulo, Judge Messitte spoke on “Artificial Intelligence and Legal Responsibility.”
The first presentation was at the Fernando Henrique Cardoso Foundation, where the Judge was a co-panelist with Minister Paulo Sanseverino of the Superior Tribunal of Justice; Dean Oscar Vilhena Vieira of the Getulio Vargas Law Faculty of São Paulo, Professor Flavio Yarshell of the University of São Paulo Law Faculty, and Ronaldo Lemos, an attorney specializing in technology. Former President of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso attended and actively participated in the event.
The second presentation on “Artificial Intelligence and Legal Responsibility” took place at the Judges School of São Paulo (EPM) and the third at the Union of Attorneys of the States of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (SINSA).
Judge Messitte’s thesis is that, when AI “goes wrong”, conventional theories of recovery for civil damages such as doctrines of negligence, strict liability, and breach of commercial warranty can often be applied to determine legal responsibility. As for the inappropriate use of computer data, conventional theories of invasion of privacy, gross negligence, and fraud may also be used.
June 3-7, 2019
During the week of June 3, a number of Brazilian prosecutors will attend the annual Anti-Corruption course that Professor Boswell gives for attendees from all over the world. On June 6 at the Law School, Judge Messitte and his Chambers will put on a mock jury trial of a corruption case for the attendees.
June 10-14, 2019
During the week of June 10, a group of 12-18 state prosecutors from the State of São Paulo School of Enhancement of the State Public Ministry will participate in a special course on Anti-Corruption coordinated by WCL Adjunct Professor Nancy Boswell. On June 12, the group will visit the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, where Judge Messitte will offer an introduction to criminal process in the U.S.
March 13-14, 2019
WCL Dean Camille Nelson, Professor Angela Davis, and Professor Cynthia Jones spoke at an international Seminar on Fundamental Rights and Guarantees in the Criminal Justice System at the Law Faculty of Vitória in the Brazilian State of Espírito Santo.
March 11, 2019
Dean Nelson spoke at the Federal Regional Tribunal for the Second Region in Rio de Janeiro on “Legal Questions Related to Political Activity Involving Persons with Disabilities and the Impact of the Racial Question”.
March 7-8, 2019
Artificial Intelligence and the Law
A conference on “Artificial Intelligence and the Law” was held at Washington College of Law on March 7-8, 2019. As with annual conferences in the past, among the speakers were several High Court Justices of Brazil, among them President João Otávio de Noronha of the Superior Tribunal of Justice, as well as American experts in the field of AI.
January 11, 2018
Confronting Corruption – Brazil’s Operation Car Wash: Lessons for Justice & Economic Reform Agendas
On January 11, 2018 Judge Messitte spoke at the World Bank, Washington, D.C. (streamed world-wide) on the topic of “Confronting Corruption – Brazil’s Operation Car Wash: Lessons for Justice & Economic Reform Agendas.”
December 11, 2017
Current Trends in the Federal Judiciary in the United States
Judge Messitte traveled to Fortaleza in the northeast of Brazil at the invitation of the Federal Council of Justice and the Magistrate School of the Second Federal Region. He spoke about "Current Trends in the Federal Judiciary in the United States."
December 10, 2017
Corporate Plea Bargaining
On December 10, 2017, Judge Messitte spoke to the Association of Attorneys of São Paulo (including a nationwide hook-up) on the topic of “Corporate Plea Bargaining.” On the Panel with him was Minister Ricardo Vilas Bôas Cueva of the Superior Tribunal of Justice. The Program was moderated by Flavio Yarshall, a Professor at the University of São Paulo Law School.
December 6, 2017
Case Management and Precedents
On December 6, 2017, Judge Messitte addressed the Brazilian Institute of Public Law in São Paulo on the topic of “Case Management & Precedents.” The event was held at the University of São Paulo Law School.
December 4, 2017
Judge Messitte speaks at the Fernando Henrique Cardoso Foundation on “Plea Bargaining”
On December 4, 2017, Judge Messitte spoke to a large audience (including a streaming audience) at the Fernando Henrique Cardoso Foundation in São Paulo. Former President Cardoso was in attendance. [See photograph.] The topic was “Plea Bargaining.” Other speakers on the Program included Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Tribunal and Professor Gustavo Badaró of the University of São Paulo Law School.
December 1, 2017
Affirmative Defenses to Return of the Child Under the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction
On December 1, 2017, in São Paulo, Judge Messitte addressed an International Conference on the Hague Convention on Child Abduction on the topic of “Affirmative Defenses to Return of the Child Under the Hague Convention.” The Conference was sponsored by Brazil’s Central Authority Under the Convention and the MacKenzie Law School of São Paulo.
October 3, 2017
Judge Messitte was a guest on the São Paulo television program “Cart?o de Visita,” of Record TV where he spoke of his long-time association with Brazil, especially its Judiciary.
October 3, 2017
Judge Messitte addressed the Tribunal of Justice of the State of São Paulo, offering “Remarks on Brazilian and American Law.” On the occasion, he was awarded the Medal of Judicial Merit of the Tribunal, one of its highest awards, the first American so honored.
October 3, 2017
Judge Messitte also spoke to a post-graduate class at the University of São Paulo Law School on “Case Management in the United States.”
September 8, 2017
Justice Luís Roberto Barroso of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Tribunal will be in Washington on September 8, and will participate in the continuing series on Rule of Law featuring prominent Brazilian Judges and attorneys that WCL has been jointly sponsoring with the Brazil Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center. Following a morning presentation at the Woodrow Wilson Center, Justice Barroso, a leading constitutional scholar who holds a Master’s Degree from Yale Law School, will come to WCL to attend a luncheon in his honor and address students and others about several of the constitutional and other statutory reforms he has been proposing.
July 17, 2017
On July 17, 2017, at the Brazil Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center, Brazil Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot will address the use of plea bargains in the promotion of justice and the rule of law in Brazil. The lecture is part of the Brazil Institute’s continuing rule of law series, co-sponsored by the Washington College of Law at American University. Judge Messitte will provide commentary following the Prosecutor-General’s presentation.
June 13, 2017
On June 13, the Brazil-U.S. Legal & Judicial Studies Program held a luncheon at the Law School in honor of President-Justice Ives Gandra Filho and Justice Maria Cristina Peduzzi of Brazil’s Superior Tribunal of Labor. Following the luncheon Justice Gandra spoke about pending labor legislation in Brazil and the need for reform. Justice Peduzzi spoke about the heavy caseloads in Brazilian Courts in general and in the Labor Courts in particular. She stressed that efforts are being undertaken to reduce the caseloads, including the use of precedent to decide cases of a repetitive nature. Judge Messitte offered observations with respect to the very decentralized nature of labor law in the U.S., as compared to Brazil and much of the world where centralized labor court systems predominate.
April 26-28, 2017
At a program in Brasília held from April 26 to April 28, Magistrate Judge Charles Day of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and Adjunct Professor at WCL, spoke to attorneys in the Office of Brazil’s Attorney General (AGU) about the use of mediation in settling litigation disputes. Joining Magistrate Judge Day in Brasília was WCL Adjunct Professor Claudia Dolores Frutos-Peterson, who spoke about arbitration law and practice in the U.S.
April 10, 2017
On April 10, 2017 Justice Cármen Lúcia Antunes Rocha, President of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Tribunal, attended a luncheon in her honor at WCL. Following the luncheon, she offered remarks on the importance of the protection of fundamental rights by the Judiciary. Judge Messitte added commentary, comparing Brazil’s Supreme Federal Tribunal and the U.S. Supreme Court. This was followed by a question and answer session with the audience.
The luncheon was preceded by a morning speech by President Cármen Lúcia at the Brazil Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. WCL co-sponsored that event, as well, as part of its continuing partnership with the Brazil Institute to host prominent members of Brazil’s Judiciary and Legal Professions in visits to Washington.
March 2-3, 2017
Brazil’s Instituto Justiça e Cidadania and the Brazil-U.S. program at WCL held a 2-day seminar on the “Comparative Law of Contracts: Brazil and the U.S.” Speakers from Brazil included Ministers (Justices) of Brazil’s Superior Tribunal of Justice Ricardo Villas Bôas Cueva, Paulo de Tarso Sanseverino, and João Otávio Noronha, as well as other prominent individuals from Brazil. Distinguished speakers from the United States included Dr. Otaviano Canuto, Senior Vice-President of the World Bank and distinguished attorneys from the private and public sectors. Among the topics covered were: Contracts of Adhesion; Government Contracts; Joint Ventures; and Instruments for Financing Agribusiness.