The Bar Association chairman explained that the new communication channel aims to resolve issues between lawyers and the institution, alleviating some of the existing pressure and unrest.
“Two public services receive the most complaints from lawyers. AIMA ranks highest in criticism, followed by IRN (Institute of Registries and Notaries) and registry offices,” stated João Massano.
The Bar Association will consolidate complaints and forward them to AIMA under an agreement between the two organizations.
“We will channel complaints and suggestions through the Association,” Joao Massano explained, clarifying that this initiative, accessible via a form in lawyers’ reserved areas, is not due to worsening issues or delays.
“AIMA’s problems haven’t particularly worsened,” but this was the opportune moment to establish this channel.
Currently, judicial processes related to AIMA burden administrative courts due to slow agency response times, a situation João Massano regrets.
“When a lawyer must go to court for a public service response, it’s clear the public service is malfunctioning,” he emphasized.
He hopes the online channel will eventually reduce litigation causes.
“This channel aims not only to identify specific service malfunctions or rights violations for lawyers but also to unify understanding across AIMA’s various services,” he noted.
He illustrated, “Imagine an AIMA service in the islands accepting a document, while another on the mainland doesn’t. This happens and seems illogical to me.”
A statement from the Bar Association indicates both institutions wanted to “establish a permanent communication path for information sharing on specific reported situations, which could indicate access issues, rights violations, or regional procedural discrepancies related to legal interpretation and document validation.”
“The Bar Association believes institutional cooperation to be one of its goals, aiming to significantly improve public services, starting with opinions from its members, ensuring effective citizen access to these services,” the note added.
