The appointment of Mello's daughter to the TRF is being questioned.
At 37 years old, Letícia Mello was appointed by President Dilma Rousseff to the position of judge of the Federal Regional Court of the 2nd Region, to serve in the capital of Rio de Janeiro; competing with more experienced candidates, legal circles insinuate that she was only chosen because she is the daughter of Supreme Court Justice Marco Aurélio Mello.
247 – Daughter of Supreme Federal Court minister Marco Aurélio Mello, Letícia Mello was appointed by President Dilma Rousseff last Wednesday (19) to the position of judge of the Regional Federal Court of the 2nd Region, to work in the capital of Rio de Janeiro.
At 37, she was considered too young to assume the position within legal circles, and she would hardly have reached the Court if her father hadn't been on the Supreme Court. She received the most votes in a shortlist of three candidates sent by the court to the president, defeating more experienced lawyers such as Luiz Henrique Alochio, 43, and Rosane Thomé, 52.
The Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) has called into question the pressure exerted by Supreme Court justices to appoint their children. The association decided to change the selection process for the courts after personal efforts by Luiz Fux to promote his daughter Marianna to a position as a judge on the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice. The pre-selection process carried out in July was annulled. From now on, all council members will participate in the screening, and the voting will also be open.