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The Superior Electoral Court (Portuguese: Tribunal Superior Eleitoral) is the highest body of the Brazilian Electoral Court. There are also Regional Electoral Courts (Tribunal Regional Eleitoral) and Electoral Registry offices spread throughout Brazil, according to Article 118 of the Constitution of Brazil.
The Brazilian Electoral Code of 1932 established the Electoral Justice in Brazil, replacing the political system conducted by the Legislative branch over the electoral proceedings which existed until then[1]. Upon the creation of such judicial system, thus, the control over such proceedings was transferred to the Judiciary. In the present, duties of the Electoral Justice are regulated by a posterior Electoral Code, approved in 1965 (Law No. 4.737/65)[2], which revoked the 1932 code, but kept the judicial control over the electoral proceedings.
The Superior Electoral Court is the highest judicial body of the Brazilian Electoral Justice as per Article 121, § 3 of the Brazilian Constitution of 1988, which sets that the decisions of the Superior Electoral Court are unappealable, except those which are contrary to the Constitution and those denying habeas corpus or writs of mandamus. Therefore, in such exceptions, the Supreme Federal Court shall judge the appeals filed against the Superior Electoral Court’s rulings.
The composition of the court is ruled by Article 119 of the Constitution of Brazil, which sets that the court shall be composed by seven members. Three of them shall be elected by secret vote from among the Justices of the Supreme Federal Court and two other judges shall be elected by secret vote from among the Justices of the Superior Court of Justice. The remaining two shall be appointed by the President of Brazil from among six lawyers of notable juridical learning and good moral reputation nominated by the Supreme Federal Court.