A Responsabilidade Civil do Perito Oficial de Natureza Criminal
A Responsabilidade Civil do Perito Oficial de Natureza Criminal
-
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.774122525036
-
Palavras-chave: Responsabilidade Civil, Perito Oficial, Perito Criminal, Perito Legista
-
Keywords: Civil Liability, Official Expert, Criminal Expert, Forensic Pathologist, Medical Examiner
-
Abstract: The article discusses the civil liability of official criminal experts in Brazil, linking it to the State’s strict (objective) civil liability, as established in Article 37, §6 of the Federal Constitution. This provision stipulates that the State must compensate for damages caused by its agents, while allowing for a right of recourse against the agent in cases of willful misconduct or negligence. The liability of experts, however, is more complex, as they serve as auxiliaries to the judiciary, and their responsibility is limited to specific situations within judicial activity. The State is not liable for acts that are inherently judicial, except in cases of judicial error, unlawful imprisonment, or undue delay in delivering justice. Law No. 12,030/2009 grants technical, scientific, and functional autonomy to experts, protecting them from external interference and ensuring impartiality. This means that civil liability for technical errors will only arise in cases of gross negligence, and such errors must be proven by contradictory expert opinions that demonstrate the failure. Regarding criminal liability, experts may be punished for intentional misconduct, such as in the case of false expert reports (Article 342 of the Penal Code). The autonomy granted by law is intended to protect experts, allowing them to perform their duties without fear of retaliation. In summary, the civil liability of experts follows the general rule applied to public agents but is limited to specific situations, with strong emphasis on safeguarding their professional autonomy.
- Filipe Guimarães Teixeira