National Institute of Social Security (INSS) v. Santos

The National Institute of Social Security filed an interlocutory appeal with basis in the Code of Civil Procedure and the bylaws of the Federal Supreme Court against the decision upheld by this same court in September 2005 which stated that the matter in discussion did not directly offend the Constitution and required the re-examination of the evidence and, therefore, could not be analyzed in an extraordinary appeal, maintaining, thus, the lower court’s decision  in favor of the defendant, Ms. Santos. Decision which granted her the benefit of financial assistance she had requested, despite receiving a monthly pension which she claim to be insufficient for her medical needs.  The Federal Supreme Court ruled against admitting the extraordinary appeal due to the lack of a direct offense to the Constitution. The Supreme Court held that arguments brought forth by the defendant demonstrated a non-compliance to Law 8.742 and only indirectly to the Constitution.

The Federal Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, ruled that was impossible to analyze through means of an extraordinary appeal indirect offenses to the Constitution. The Court understood that the offense to the Constitution would be indirect for it was a violation of Law 8.742/93, which regulates Social Assistance and continued assistance to those in financial need in its 3rd paragraph of article 20.  Despite Law 8.742/93 have been drafted in compliance to article 203 of the Federal Constitution it could not be argued that a constitutional command was being violated directly. The Court, on these grounds, dismissed the extraordinary appeal.

"Impertinência do pedido de declaração de constitucionalidade do art. 20, § 3º, da Lei n. 8.742/93, diante do pronunciamento deste Supremo Tribunal Federal na Ação Direta de Inconstitucionalidade n. 1.232-DF"

"A constitucionalidade da norma legal, assim, não significa a inconstitucionalidade dos comportamentos judiciais que, para atender, nos casos concretos, à Constituição, garantidora do princípio da dignidade humana e do direito à saúde, e à obrigação estatal de prestar a assistência social "a quem dela necessitar, independente da contribuição à seguridade social", tenham de definir aquele pagamento diante da constatação da necessidade de pessoa portadora de deficiência ou do idoso que não possa prover a própria manutenção ou de tê-la provida por sua família."