{"id":31105,"date":"2022-06-01T16:55:43","date_gmt":"2022-06-01T16:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wdev.pogustgoodhead.com\/opinions\/the-burden-of-proof-in-environmental-cases-under-brazilian-law\/"},"modified":"2023-04-14T09:06:34","modified_gmt":"2023-04-14T09:06:34","slug":"the-burden-of-proof-in-environmental-cases-under-brazilian-law","status":"publish","type":"opinions","link":"https:\/\/wdev.pogustgoodhead.com\/us\/opinions\/the-burden-of-proof-in-environmental-cases-under-brazilian-law\/","title":{"rendered":"The burden of proof in environmental cases under Brazilian law"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"31105\" class=\"elementor elementor-31105 elementor-19505\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-51c188fd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"51c188fd\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3d8af358\" data-id=\"3d8af358\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7f63b85 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7f63b85\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.12.1 - 02-04-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Author: <a href=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTI5ODcsInRvZ2dsZSI6ZmFsc2V9\">Filipe Carvalho<\/a>, Associate<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-480e3b56 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"480e3b56\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a rule in Brazilian law that generally whoever alleges must prove the allegation. Pursuant to article 373 of the Brazilian Civil Procedure Code<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a>, the burden of proof rests on the claimant, to prove the constitutive facts of their case (item I) and on the defendant, to prove facts impairing, modifying or extinguishing the claimant&#8217;s right (item II).<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Therefore, every time the party files a proceeding, it must indicate<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftn2\" name=\"_ftnref2\">[2]<\/a> and gather<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftn3\" name=\"_ftnref3\">[3]<\/a> in its statement of claim all the documentation that proves its allegations.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">However, there are situations in which this burden of proof rule cannot be applied, citing as an example, where a claimant does not have the evidence to fulfill this duty or because it is easier to obtain proof of the contrary fact.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In this sense, the Brazilian Procedural Code<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftn4\" name=\"_ftnref4\">[4]<\/a> authorises the judge to assign the burden of proof in a different way, provided that he does so by reasoned decision, and the judge must also give the party the opportunity to discharge the burden that has been assigned to them.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is worth mentioning that the Brazilian Civil Procedure Code (Federal Law No. 13,105\/2015) also grants the parties the right to define, before or during the process, the distribution of the burden of proof<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftn5\" name=\"_ftnref5\">[5]<\/a>. This rule does not apply, however, if it impacts a party&#8217;s inalienable rights (one that cannot be given or taken away) or when it makes it excessively difficult for a party to exercise that right.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 2018, the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), a collective body of the Brazilian Judiciary, edited Precedent n. 618 which has the following wording: \u201cThe reversal of the burden of proof applies to the proceeding of environmental degradation\u201d.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The reversal of the burden of proof in environmental matters can be justified by the application of the precaution principle, in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED 1992) principle 15 which states that: \u201c<em>In order to protect the environment, the precaution principle must be widely observed by States, according to their capabilities. Where there is a threat of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing effective and cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation<\/em><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftn6\" name=\"_ftnref6\">[6]<\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In simple words, if there is any suspicion that an activity may cause environmental damage, the environment must have the benefit of the doubt.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Not surprisingly, the STJ, when ruling on an environmental case<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftn7\" name=\"_ftnref7\">[7]<\/a>, established the understanding that \u201cthe precaution principle (&#8230;) presupposes the reversal of the burden of proof, transferring to the concessionaire the burden of proving that its conduct did not give rise to risks to the environment (&#8230;)&#8221;.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In fact, the same understanding has been put forward again by the STJ<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftn8\" name=\"_ftnref8\">[8]<\/a>. See: \u201cthe precaution principle presupposes the reversal of the burden of proof, and it is up to those who allegedly caused the environmental damage to prove that they did not cause it or that the substance released into the environment is not potentially harmful\u201d.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is concluded, therefore, that the existence of these rules, supported by solid case law, are focused on preventing the activities of large polluting companies from going unpunished, bringing to the party (which is often underprivileged) effective parity of weapons and a balanced means of substantiating claims, either by themselves or by using the reversal of the burden of proof.<\/span><\/p><pre><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">References<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> Art. 373. The burden of proof is assigned to:<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">I \u2013 the plaintiff, as to the fact constituting his or her right;<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">II \u2013 the defendant, as to the existence of a fact that impedes, modifies or extinguishes the plaintiff\u2019s right.<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftnref2\" name=\"_ftn2\">[2]<\/a> Art. 319. The complaint shall inform:<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">VI \u2013 the evidence with which the plaintiff intends to prove the truth of the alleged facts;<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftnref3\" name=\"_ftn3\">[3]<\/a> Art. 320. The complaint shall produce the documents that are indispensable for the filing of the action.<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftnref4\" name=\"_ftn4\">[4]<\/a> Art. 373, \u00a71\u00ba: In the cases provided for by law, or in view of the peculiarities of the action relative to the impossibility or excessive difficulty of performing the duty pursuant to the head provision, or even the greater ease of obtaining evidence to the contrary, the judge may assign the burden of proof differently, provided this is done in a reasoned decision, in which case the party must be given the opportunity to carry out the assigned charge.<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftnref5\" name=\"_ftn5\">[5]<\/a> Art. 373, \u00a7 3\u00ba: A different assignment of the burden of proof may also occur by agreement of the parties, unless:<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">I \u2013 it impacts on an inalienable right of the party;<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">II \u2013 it renders the exercise of the right by one of the parties excessively difficult.<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">Art. 373, \u00a7 4\u00ba: 4 The agreement referred to in \u00a7 3 may be executed before or during the proceedings.<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftnref6\" name=\"_ftn6\">[6]<\/a> It is worth noting that the precautionary principle has its origins in the \u201cWorld Charter for Nature\u201d, of 1982, whose principle n. 11, \u201cb\u201d, established the need for States to control activities potentially harmful to the environment, even if their effects were not fully known.<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftnref7\" name=\"_ftn7\">[7]<\/a> STJ, AgInt in the Interlocutory Appeal in Special Appeal n. 1311669 \u2013 SC, Judge Rapporteur Ricardo Villas B\u00f4as Cueva, judged on 03 December 2018.<\/span>\n<span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"#_ftnref8\" name=\"_ftn8\">[8]<\/a> STJ, REsp 1.060.753\/SP, Judge Rapporteur Eliana Calmon, judged on 01 December 2009.<\/span><\/span><\/pre>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is a rule in Brazilian law that generally whoever alleges must prove the allegation. Pursuant to article 373 of the Brazilian Civil Procedure Code[1], the burden of proof rests on the claimant, to prove the constitutive facts of their case (item I) and on the defendant, to prove facts impairing, modifying or extinguishing the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":26364,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_expiration-date-status":"","_expiration-date":0,"_expiration-date-type":"","_expiration-date-categories":[],"_expiration-date-options":[]},"opinionscategories":[355],"class_list":["post-31105","opinions","type-opinions","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","opinionscategories-environmental-and-international-law-us"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.4 (Yoast SEO v20.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The burden of proof in environmental cases under Brazilian law - POGUST GOODHEAD<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The burden of proof in environmental cases under Brazilian law\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It is a rule in Brazilian law that generally whoever alleges must prove the allegation. 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