Editorial (RDPDF vol 6 n. 2 2024)

Abstract

The Journal of the Brazilian Federal District Public Defensorship (RDPDF) presents the second issue of its sixth volume. In this edition, we continue to pursue our goal of critically discussing topics of national significance, influencing the work of public defenders and the pursuit of justice on both national and international levels.

For this issue, we had the privilege of collaborating with researchers Dr. Fernando Henrique Lopes Honorato and Dr. Maria Pia dos Santos Lima Guerra Dalledone, who served as guest editors for the preparation of the editorial dossier, “Access to Justice, Rights, and the Brazilian Public Defender’s Office from the Perspective of the Brazilian Supreme Court’s Jurisprudence.” The articles included in the thematic dossier, as well as the regular contributions, highlight the quality of national academic output addressing access to rights—a fundamental mechanism for ensuring the Social and Democratic Rule of Law, essential to protecting socially vulnerable groups.

Since its inception, the RDPDF has sought to gather contributions that transcend a mere normative-positivist analysis. These contributions strive to go beyond the conventional roles and formalities often entrenched in the legal field, aiming instead to engage with real-world contexts, their dissonances, and challenges. This issue exemplifies the inherent difficulties of defending rights, as evidenced by the diversity of the articles it brings together and their efforts to critically explore underexamined and contentious aspects of the legal field.

The texts featured in this issue reaffirm the essential critical lens that justifies the existence of this journal in light of stark social inequalities and the pressing need for public policies capable of addressing the vulnerabilities affecting a significant portion of the Brazilian population.