ABSTRACT The interdependence between governance and legitimacy of the courts is a subject that has not been much studied by scholars, especially those from the fields of public administration and organizational studies. Taking into account the importance of these topics for the functioning of these organizations, the purpose of this essay is twofold: to enrich the debate on the contribution of good governance to the legitimacy of courts, and to encourage researchers to address these themes in greater depth. To this end, the main literature on governance and legitimacy of courts is analyzed. Theoretical approaches contribute to the discussion of the functioning of courts, which are highly institutionalized organizations that depend heavily on a presumption of legitimacy. Ensuring this legitimacy has been one of the challenges for these organizations, which are required to adopt governance models that contribute to better management and performance. We argue that there are managerial and substantive implications for society, since the governance and legitimacy of courts can affect the system of justice. We put forward some propositions on the influence of judicial governance on the legitimacy of the justice system and on the perception of legitimacy of the courts. These propositions provide insights for a research agenda on these issues.
This research describes the frames associated with the mobilization process around the debate about the reform of Brazilian Courts of Accounts (TCs) from 2000 to 2017. Through legitimacy accounts of legal and non-legal actors, three frames were identified: legal, associated with regulation, reframing, and legal compliance of TCs; normative, associated with the transition from political management to the technical competence of TCs and; responsive, associated with the social visibility of TCs. The data consisted of parliamentary speeches, public hearings, debates, news broadcasts, and interviews with representatives of specific segments such as professional corporations, media, academia, and organized civil society. The findings shed light on the procedural dimension of legitimacy in Justice organizations and highlight the emergence of professional corporations as mobilizing entities in the three spheres of segmentation; the emergence of a ceremonial tonic in aspects that promote inter-organizational behavior, and; the progressive increase in responsiveness linked to the field as a result of the entry of specific segments of society in the debate. The results deepen the political-discursive nature of institutional change. ; Esta investigación describe los marcos (frames) asociados al proceso de movilización en torno al debate sobre la reforma de los tribunales de cuentas (TC) brasileños en el período de 2000 a 2017. A través de los relatos de legitimidad de los actores legales y no legales, se identificaron tres marcos: legal, asociado a la regulación, resignificación y cumplimiento legal de los TC; normativo, asociado a la transición de la gestión política a la competencia técnica de los TC; y responsivo, asociado a la visibilidad social de los TC. Para el análisis de los datos se consideraron los discursos parlamentarios, audiencias públicas, debates, noticias y entrevistas con representantes de segmentos específicos, como corporaciones profesionales, medios de comunicación, academia y sociedad civil organizada. Las conclusiones arrojan luz sobre la dimensión procesal de la legitimidad en los tribunales y ponen de relieve: el surgimiento de las corporaciones profesionales como movilizadoras de las tres esferas de la segmentación; la aparición de un tono ceremonial en aspectos que fomentan el comportamiento interoganizacional y el aumento progresivo de la capacidad de respuesta vinculada al campo como resultado de la entrada de segmentos específicos de la sociedad en el debate. Los resultados profundizan el carácter político-discursivo del cambio institucional. ; Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo descrever os frames (enquadramentos) associados ao processo de mobilização em torno do debate sobre a reforma dos Tribunais de Contas brasileiros (TCs) no período de 2000 a 2017. Por meio de legitimacy accounts (assertivas de legitimidade) de atores legais e não legais foram identificados três frames: legal, associado à regulação, ressignificação e conformidade legal dos TCs; normativo, relacionado à transição da gestão política à competência técnica dos TCs e; responsivo, ligado à visibilidade social dos TCs. Os dados analisados consideraram discursos parlamentares, audiências públicas, debates, notícias e entrevistas com representantes de segmentos específicos como corporações profissionais, mídia, academia e sociedade civil organizada. Os achados lançam luz sobre a natureza processual da legitimidade em organizações institucionalizadas, como é o caso dos TCs, e destacam: a emergência das corporações profissionais enquanto entes mobilizadores das três esferas de segmentação; o surgimento de tônica cerimonialista em aspectos fomentadores do comportamento interoganizacional e; o aumento progressivo da responsividade ligada ao campo como decorrência do ingresso de segmentos específicos da sociedade no debate. Os resultados aprofundam a natureza político-discursiva da mudança institucional.
