Portuguese Phrase
O juizado de pequenas causas cuida de problemas menores.
Meaning
The small‑claims court handles minor disputes. It indicates that this specific branch of the judiciary is responsible for resolving issues that are not serious or high‑value.
When to use
Use this sentence when you are describing the function of the 'juizado de pequenas causas' in Brazil, for example in a legal‑service brochure, a news article, or a conversation about where to file a low‑value civil claim.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ojuizadodepequenascausascuidadeproblemasmenores
Definite article (O)
The masculine singular article 'o' agrees with the noun 'juizado'.
Noun phrase – juizado de pequenas causas
A compound noun where 'juizado' (court) is specified by the prepositional phrase 'de pequenas causas' (of small claims).
Adjective agreement
'Pequenas' and 'menores' are feminine plural adjectives that match the nouns 'causas' and 'problemas' respectively.
Verb – cuida
'Cuida' is the third‑person singular present of 'cuidar' and requires the preposition 'de' to introduce its object.
Preposition 'de'
Used twice: first to link 'juizado' with its specialization, second to introduce what the court 'takes care of'.
🗨In Conversation
Preciso entrar com um processo, mas não sei onde.
I need to file a lawsuit, but I don’t know where.
O juizado de pequenas causas cuida de problemas menores.
The small‑claims court handles minor problems.
✕Common Mistakes
O juizado de pequenas causas cuida com problemas menores.
The verb 'cuidar' takes the preposition 'de', not 'com', when indicating what is being taken care of.
O juizado de pequenas causas cuida de problemas menor.
Because 'problemas' is plural, the adjective must also be plural: 'menores'.
↔Alternatives
O tribunal de pequenas causas trata de questões menores.
The small‑claims tribunal deals with minor issues.
O juizado de pequenas causas resolve casos de baixa complexidade.
The small‑claims court resolves low‑complexity cases.
Esse juizado cuida de litígios de pequeno valor.
This court handles low‑value lawsuits.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, the 'juizado de pequenas causas' is a special court created to speed up civil disputes whose monetary value does not exceed a certain limit (currently around 40 times the minimum wage). The process is informal, does not require a lawyer in many cases, and aims to make justice more accessible to ordinary citizens.