- The Brazilian state of Ceará has modernized its judicial system to reduce processing times and costs and better serve citizens.
- With IDB support, the state invested in automation, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and capacity building to improve judicial performance.
- These investments have increased productivity and significantly reduced case processing times.
Access to justice depends not only on legal frameworks but also on the time, cost, and reliability of judicial processes.
Before recent reforms, Brazil faced one of the world’s largest judicial backlogs. In 2019, judges managed an average of nearly 7,000 cases each, and the national caseload equaled roughly one case for every three residents. Processing times were long, costs were high, and public confidence in the system remained limited.
In the state of Ceará, in particular, user satisfaction stood at just over 50%, and nearly three‑quarters of all cases remained unresolved. As a result, in 2021, the state’s judiciary launched the Program for Modernization of the Judicial Branch (PROMOJUD) with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to revamp judicial operations through digital transformation.
AI and Automation
Backed by $28 million in IDB financing, the project invested in artificial intelligence, process automation, cybersecurity systems, upgraded digital infrastructure, and real‑time performance dashboards, complemented by training to build digital skills among judges and public servants.
PROMOJUD produced substantial improvements in judicial performance. Judicial productivity increased by 40%, with the average number of finalized cases rising from 1,164 per judge in 2021 to 1,631 in 2025. The average time from filing to sentencing declined from over three years to 16 months, and the average cost per resolved case fell by 17%. User satisfaction rose from 56% to 74%.
An impact evaluation of more than 50,000 cases found that courts using AI-based tools processed cases approximately 33% more efficiently than courts that had not adopted these tools
PROMOJUD maintained progress despite four leadership transitions within the judiciary, underscoring the value of strong technical design, structured change management, and institutional ownership.
Advancing Innovation for Better Justice Services
The experience in Ceará shows how digital modernization—paired with investments in human capital and management systems—can improve public sector performance. Faster case resolution reduces costs for users and institutions, strengthens public confidence, and expands access to timely and effective justice services.
PROMOJUD demonstrates how digital innovation can turn longstanding operational constraints into opportunities for sustained improvements in governance and service delivery.