The Feast of Divine Mercy: A Sea of Graces

 

Feast of Divine Mercy

Assista  "- Santa Missa - 15 hs A hora da Divina Misericórdia | Santuário Divina Misericórdia | Ao Vivo | 12/04/2026" no YouTube

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April 12, 2026

The Divine Mercy: Promises of Life and Salvation

We are called to answer a divine summons. 

Our hope rests securely in the promises of Christ, who declared: 

*“Every soul that believes and trusts in My mercy will attain it”* (Diary of St. Faustina, 420).

 It is the duty of the faithful to carry this message of conversion to the entire world, for as the Lord warned, 

*“Whoever does not want to pass through the door of mercy, will have to pass through the door of My justice…”* (Diary, 1146).

**The Vessel of Graces: The Sacred Image**

Jesus offered a specific vessel for seeking grace at the fountain of mercy: the Image with the inscription 

*“Jesus, I trust in You.”* 

He promised that any soul who venerates this image will not perish and will have victory over enemies both in this life and at the hour of death. 

He said, *“I Myself will defend it as My glory”* (Notebooks, 26).

 Through this image, every soul must have access to the flames of mercy that Jesus desires to pour out upon suffering humanity to fill it with peace.

The Feast of Divine Mercy: A Sea of Graces

The Feast of Divine Mercy, celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter, stands as the most important form of this devotion. Jesus expressed His desire for this day to be a refuge and shelter for all souls, especially poor sinners.

 On this solemnity, the very depths of His mercy are opened.

The greatest promise attached to this Feast is for those who approach Confession and Holy Communion: 

*“The soul that approaches confession and holy Communion receives the total pardon of faults and of punishments”* (Notebooks II, 267). 

This is a day when all divine channels are open, and no soul should fear to approach, even if its sins are as scarlet.

**The Chaplet: The Last Plank of Salvation**

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy, dictated to Saint Faustina in 1935, is a powerful tool of intercession. By offering the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ to the Eternal Father, we utilize the most powerful argument to be heard.

Jesus promised: 

*“By the recitation of this chaplet, it pleases Me to grant all that they ask of Me,”* 

provided it is in agreement with His will. 

Even for the most hardened sinner, reciting this chaplet just once acts as a "last plank of salvation," obtaining the grace of infinite mercy at the hour of death.

**The Hour of Mercy**

Every afternoon at three o'clock, the faithful are invited to immerse themselves in the Lord's mercy.

 This is the hour of His agony on the Cross, the moment when mercy conquered justice for the whole world. 

Jesus recommended: *“In that hour nothing I will refuse to the soul that prays to me through My Passion”* (Notebooks, 440).

 Whether through the Way of the Cross, a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or a brief moment of silent prayer, this is the time to invoke His omnipotence for the entire world.

**Act of Trust**

*O merciful Jesus, Your goodness is infinite and the riches of Your graces are inexhaustible.

 I trust totally in Your mercy, which surpasses all Your works.

 I deliver myself totally to You, without reserves, to live for Christian Perfection.

 Guard me, O Jesus, for I belong only to You and to Your glory.*

FEAST OF  DIVINE MERCY 

On the Sunday following Easter, the Church celebrates the Feast of Divine Mercy, instituted in response to the request of Saint Faustina Kowalska, by mandate of Our Lord himself.

For many, unfortunately, this solemnity has become almost an emotional alibi: a date on which a distorted, sentimental mercy is celebrated, emptied of its demands.

However, true Divine Mercy is a fiery call to conversion, reparation, and penance. Something that has an intimate connection with Our Lady's Message at Fatima.

Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

Feast of Divine Mercy

Divine Mercy Sunday

April 12, 2026

On the Sunday following Easter, the Church celebrates the Feast of Divine Mercy, a day of grace, hope, healing, and trust in the infinite love of Jesus Christ.

This is a beautiful invitation from Heaven for every soul to come closer to the Heart of Jesus, no matter how heavy the burdens, how deep the wounds, or how difficult the path may seem.

Divine Mercy reminds us that God never grows tired of loving us, receiving us, forgiving us, and helping us begin again.

Jesus revealed to Saint Faustina the depth of His compassion for every human soul. Through this devotion, He invites us to trust in Him with simplicity, humility, and love.

The message of Divine Mercy is a message of consolation for the suffering, strength for the weary, forgiveness for the repentant, and peace for those who seek refuge in God.

In a world so often marked by pain, confusion, and unrest, the Heart of Jesus remains open to all. His mercy is a shelter, a light, and a source of renewal.

Through the Image of Divine Mercy, the Chaplet, the Hour of Mercy, Confession, Holy Communion, and acts of charity, we are drawn more deeply into the love of Christ.

The Feast of Divine Mercy is not only a devotion. It is a tender call to trust more, pray more, forgive more, and love more.

It is a day to place our lives, our families, our fears, our hopes, and our sorrows into the hands of Jesus.

Today, let every soul hear these words with confidence:

Jesus, I trust in You.

May this Feast bring peace to troubled hearts, comfort to the afflicted, healing to the wounded, and renewed faith to all who seek the mercy of God.

Let us turn to Him with love, with hope, and with trust, knowing that His mercy is greater than all our weakness.

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A Prayer of Trust

O merciful Jesus,
Your goodness is infinite
and the treasures of Your grace are without end.
I place my trust in You.
Receive my heart, my life, my joys, and my sorrows.
Guide me, strengthen me, and keep me close to You.
May Your mercy bring peace to my soul
and light to my path.
Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.

---

A Gentle Invitation

On this Divine Mercy Sunday, take a quiet moment to pray, to thank God, to ask for peace, and to entrust to Him all those you love.

Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Attend Holy Mass.
Spend a few moments with Jesus in silence.
And let your heart rest in His mercy.

---

..

Watch the Holy Mass with English Subtitles 

https://youtu.be/xt_ZTNMdPno?si=e2DjbS92mW3zR6NO

In both cases, God, through His supernatural manifestations, extends His hand to the sinner.

 But He does so with the majesty of a King who is also a Judge. He forgives, but demands change.

Authentic mercy never abandons justice.

Our Lord said to Saint Faustina: “The soul that trusts in My mercy is the happiest, because I Myself take care of it.”

But he also warned: “Humanity will not find peace until it turns with confidence to My mercy.”

And here is the crucial point: turning to mercy does not mean seeking consolation, but accepting to be transformed by it.

Now, turning to mercy is not about asking for forgiveness without a desire to amend one's ways.

### The Abundance of Divine Mercy: Promises, Prayers, and the Feast

We desire, with joyful hearts, to answer this beautiful call of God. Our hope rests securely in the promises of Christ, who assured us:

 *“Every soul that believes and trusts in My mercy will attain it.”* (Diary of Saint Faustina, 420). 

It is our privilege and duty to carry this Divine message to the entire world, an invitation for the conversion and salvation of souls through grace. 

We encourage you to treasure this reading and share it with everyone dear to you—your family, friends, and community—that they, too, may experience the sweet Savior’s welcoming embrace.

#### **The Vessel of Graces: The Sacred Image**

To help us approach the fountain of mercy, Jesus gave us a powerful vessel: the Image with the inscription *“Jesus, I trust in You.”* He stated: 

*“Through this image I will grant many graces to souls, therefore every soul must be able to access it.”* (Notebooks II, 227).

 He added the encouraging promise: 

*“The flames of mercy burn me, I desire to pour them over the souls of men. Oh, what pain they cause me when they do not want to accept them!”* (Notebooks, 374). 

He further promised that any soul who venerates this image, both now on earth and especially in the hour of death, will find victory and divine protection as His own glory (Notebooks, 26).

#### **The Feast of Divine Mercy: A Sea of Graces**

The Feast of Divine Mercy, celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter, stands as the most important form of this devotion. Jesus established this day as a day of great grace for all people. 

*“I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls...”* (Notebooks I, 27). 

On this day, the depths of His mercy are opened, pouring *“a sea of graces over the souls that approach to the fountain of My mercy.”* (Notebooks I, 27). 

The faithful can ask for all graces that correspond to the will of God, and Jesus desires to grant not only saving graces but also earthly benefits.

#### **The Hour of Mercy**

Christ invites us to honor the hour of His agony on the Cross, which He identified as three o'clock in the afternoon, as a moment of profound grace. 

*“It is an hour of great mercy for the whole world.”* (Notebooks, 440). Jesus desires that at this moment we adore and exalt His mercy, imploring it for ourselves and for the whole world through the merits of His Passion. 

He specifically promised: *“In that hour nothing I will refuse to the soul that prays to me through My Passion.”* (Notebooks, 440). 

We can honor this hour by making the Stations of the Cross, spending a moment in a chapel, or simply recollecting ourselves in brief prayer.

#### **Preparation and Prayers**

The Feast of Divine Mercy is spiritually preceded by a novena, which consists of reciting the Chaplet (or Crown) of Divine Mercy starting on Good Friday. Jesus specificially requested this novena, saying it 

*“will give graces of every type.”* (Notebooks II, 294). The full instructions on how to pray the Chaplet are provided below.

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy, dictated by Jesus to St. Faustina in 1935, is a powerful prayer of intercession. 

By offering to God the Father *“the Body and Blood, the Soul and Divinity”* of Jesus Christ, we unite ourselves to His sacrifice on the Cross for the entire world. 

When we pray *“have mercy of us and of the whole world,”* we invoke the ultimate arguments to be heard.

This prayer holds a special place, with Jesus promising: *“it pleases Me to grant all that they ask of Me,”* if it is in agreement with His will (Notebooks IV, 568). 

Jesus also recommended that priests advise the recitation of this Chaplet as a special aid for sinners, promising that *“if he recites this chaplet only once, he will obtain the grace of My infinite mercy”* (Notebooks II, 263).

#### **Act of Trust towards Divine Mercy**

*O merciful Jesus, your goodness is infinite and the riches of your graces are inexhaustible. 

I trust totally in Your mercy, which surpasses all Your works. To You I deliver myself totally, without reserves, so as to be able to live and struggle for Christian Perfection. 

I desire to adore and exalt Your mercy performing works of mercy both towards the body as towards the spirit, seeking above all to obtain the conversion of sinners and bringing consolation to the needy, therefore to the sick and afflicted. Guard me, O Jesus, for I belong only to You and to Your glory.*

Turn to God. Ask for forgiveness not just with your lips, but with the decision not to offend Him again.

Claro. Abaixo está uma versão pronta para blog, em inglês, mais solene e organizada, incluindo os 9 dias da Novena of Offering of Divine Mercy e the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

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FEAST OF DIVINE MERCY

Divine Mercy Sunday and the Urgent Need for a Change of Life

April 12, 2026

Watch: “Santa Missa - 15 hs A hora da Divina Misericórdia | Santuário Divina Misericórdia | Ao Vivo | 12/04/2026” on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/6T-fbFS8T9o?si=s8AbIBMNpFhK92EP

Watch the Holy Mass with English subtitles:
https://youtu.be/xt_ZTNMdPno?si=e2DjbS92mW3zR6NO

Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

https://youtu.be/lETEE70DYro?si=Dpj2ymEsImWJRZoE

---

On the Sunday following Easter, the Church celebrates the Feast of Divine Mercy, instituted in response to the request of Saint Faustina Kowalska, by mandate of Our Lord Himself.

For many, unfortunately, this solemnity has become almost an emotional alibi: a date on which a distorted and sentimental idea of mercy is celebrated, emptied of its demands.

But true Divine Mercy is not indulgence toward sin. It is not permission to remain as one is. It is not spiritual comfort without repentance.

True Divine Mercy is a burning call to conversion, reparation, penance, and renewal of life.

It is deeply connected to the message of Our Lady at Fatima. In both cases, Heaven extends its hand to fallen man not to confirm him in error, but to rescue him from it.

And this is the point many ignore: God does not offer His mercy so that man may remain in sin, but so that he may be lifted out of it.

He forgives, yes. But He also commands change.

He consoles, yes. But He also judges.

He opens the door of mercy, but He does not abolish justice.

Authentic mercy never abandons justice.

Our Lord said to Saint Faustina that the soul which trusts in His mercy is most blessed, because He Himself takes care of it. But He also warned that humanity will not find peace until it turns with confidence to His mercy.

And this turning toward mercy does not mean merely seeking emotional relief. It means accepting to be transformed by grace. It means asking forgiveness with sincerity and with a true desire not to offend God again.

The great modern deception is to use mercy as an excuse for lukewarmness.

Many want the consolation of God without the correction of God. Many want pardon without repentance, tenderness without truth, grace without amendment of life.

But that is not the Divine Mercy revealed by Christ.

Those who truly honor Divine Mercy are not those who become passive in their weakness, but those who, recognizing their misery, rise up and fight the evil within themselves with the help of grace.

---

The Abundance of Divine Mercy

We are called to answer a divine summons. Our hope rests securely in the promises of Christ. The faithful are called to carry this message of mercy, conversion, and salvation to the whole world.

This devotion is not an excuse for complacency. It is a call to return to God before the hour of justice.

The message of Divine Mercy is full of tenderness, but it is also full of urgency.

---

The Sacred Image

To help souls approach the fountain of mercy, Jesus gave the Image with the inscription:

“Jesus, I trust in You.”

This image is not mere decoration. It is a sign of trust, surrender, refuge, and hope.

Through it, souls are invited to contemplate the rays of Blood and Water flowing from the Heart of Christ, the inexhaustible source of mercy for suffering humanity.

---

The Feast of Divine Mercy

The Feast of Divine Mercy, celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter, is the principal expression of this devotion.

It is a refuge for sinners and a day of immense grace. But it must never be approached lightly. The soul must come with repentance, sincerity, and a real purpose of amendment.

This promise is not magic. It does not bless hypocrisy. It does not sanctify attachment to sin.

It is an invitation to conversion.

---

The Hour of Mercy

Every day at three o’clock in the afternoon, the faithful are invited to honor the Hour of Mercy, the hour of Christ’s agony on the Cross.

This is the hour in which mercy triumphed over the sentence that our sins deserved.

At this hour, one may pray the Stations of the Cross, visit the Blessed Sacrament, or simply recollect the soul in silence and trust.

At three o’clock, Heaven asks us to remember the price of mercy.

---

The Novena of Divine Mercy

The Nine Days of Offering

This novena traditionally begins on Good Friday and continues for nine days, concluding on Divine Mercy Sunday.

Each day, we bring a different group of souls to the Heart of Jesus and ask that they be immersed in the ocean of His mercy.

---

Day 1 – All mankind, especially sinners

Prayer:
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, look kindly upon all mankind, especially upon poor sinners. Draw all souls into the dwelling place of Your most compassionate Heart. Let no one be lost who seeks refuge in You. By the sorrow of Your Passion and by the infinite merits of Your Sacred Heart, pour out Your mercy upon the whole world.

Offering:
Today I offer to You all mankind, especially sinners. Immerse them in the ocean of Your mercy. Bring them to repentance, healing, and salvation.

Response:
Jesus, I trust in You.

---

Day 2 – Priests and religious

Prayer:
Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in priests and in consecrated souls, that they may perform worthy works of mercy and lead others to trust in You. Strengthen them in holiness, fidelity, courage, and purity of heart.

Offering:
Today I offer to You all priests, religious, and consecrated souls. Immerse them in Your mercy and make them instruments of grace for the whole Church.

Response:
Jesus, I trust in You.

---

Day 3 – Devout and faithful souls

Prayer:
Most Merciful Jesus, bless all faithful souls who sincerely love You and strive to live according to Your holy will. Protect them from discouragement, strengthen them in charity, and preserve them in the truth.

Offering:
Today I offer to You all devout and faithful souls. Immerse them in Your mercy and sustain them on the path of holiness.

Response:
Jesus, I trust in You.

---

Day 4 – Those who do not believe in God and those who do not yet know Christ

Prayer:
Most Merciful Jesus, remember those who do not know You, those who do not believe in You, and those who have not yet heard Your holy name. Open their hearts to the light of truth. Break the darkness that blinds them and lead them to the grace of conversion.

Offering:
Today I offer to You all those who do not believe in God and all those who do not yet know You. Immerse them in the abyss of Your mercy and draw them into the light of Your Gospel.

Response:
Jesus, I trust in You.

---

Day 5 – Separated Christians

Prayer:
Most Merciful Jesus, look with compassion upon all those who believe in You yet remain separated from the fullness of Your Church. Heal divisions, remove errors, and lead all hearts into unity in truth and charity.

Offering:
Today I offer to You all separated Christians. Immerse them in Your mercy and draw them into deeper fidelity to Your will.

Response:
Jesus, I trust in You.

---

Day 6 – The meek and humble, and little children

Prayer:
Most Merciful Jesus, You delight in the humble of heart. Bless the meek, the little ones, and all who resemble children in trust and simplicity. Guard them from corruption, protect them from evil, and keep them always close to Your Heart.

Offering:
Today I offer to You the meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. Immerse them in Your mercy and preserve them in innocence and grace.

Response:
Jesus, I trust in You.

---

Day 7 – Souls who especially venerate and glorify Divine Mercy

Prayer:
Most Merciful Jesus, bless in a special way those souls who honor and proclaim Your Divine Mercy. Reward their trust, strengthen their witness, and let them be living reflections of Your compassion in the world.

Offering:
Today I offer to You all souls who especially venerate and glorify Your Divine Mercy. Immerse them in Your mercy and strengthen them in faith, hope, and love.

Response:
Jesus, I trust in You.

---

Day 8 – The souls in Purgatory

Prayer:
Most Merciful Jesus, let the rays of Your Precious Blood and saving grace descend upon the souls in Purgatory. Shorten their purification, comfort them in their longing, and admit them soon into the joy of Heaven.

Offering:
Today I offer to You the souls in Purgatory. Immerse them in the ocean of Your mercy and let the merits of Your Passion bring them rest and light.

Response:
Jesus, I trust in You.

---

Day 9 – Lukewarm souls

Prayer:
Most Merciful Jesus, have pity on lukewarm souls, who wound Your Heart by their indifference, negligence, and half-hearted love. Shake them from their spiritual sleep. Give them the grace of repentance, fervor, and renewal.

Offering:
Today I offer to You all lukewarm souls. Immerse them in the abyss of Your mercy and inflame them with holy zeal.

Response:
Jesus, I trust in You.

---

How to Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is prayed using ordinary rosary beads.

1. Opening

Begin with:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may then pray:

Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Christian Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting.

Amen.

Those who honor Divine Mercy are not those who become complacent in their own weakness, but those who, recognizing their own weakness, rise up and fight the evil within themselves with the help of grace.

How to experience this festival authentically

If mercy demands a response, then this celebration cannot be experienced superficially.

It is true that Our Lord promised immense graces to those who, this Sunday, receive Holy Communion in a state of grace and pray trusting in Him.

But it would be a mistake to limit this date to an external ceremony. True celebration requires something much deeper: a firm purpose to change one's life.

Because what God offers today is not just comfort: it is a real opportunity for a new beginning.

It is necessary to examine one's own conscience, make a good confession, avoid occasions of sin, and abandon vices.

And above all, to commit oneself to concrete acts of charity, apostolate, and reparation.

Mercy, when truly embraced, always translates into action.

A concrete proposal: to repair and dedicate oneself.

All of this may seem vague without practical direction. Therefore, here is a concrete proposal for this Sunday:

On this Divine Mercy Sunday, each reader is invited to do more than just pray.

Make a firm resolution to make amends. 

Brazil will have two female judges and one male judge in a cooperation program with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Brazil will have two female judges and one male judge in a cooperation program with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Post published:April 7, 2026

Post category:

CNJ News / CNJ News Agency

Two Brazilian female judges and one male judge will participate in the Cooperation Program with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR). The initiative foresees direct involvement with the international court, with the objective of strengthening human rights training and expanding dialogue between the Brazilian Judiciary and the Inter-American System. The selection process was launched by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) in February of this year.

The selected individuals were Judge Flávia Martins de Carvalho, from the Court of Justice of São Paulo; Judge Ana Inés Algorta Latorre, from the Federal Regional Court of the 4th Region; and Judge Gilberto Schäfer, from the Court of Justice of Rio Grande do Sul. They met on Tuesday afternoon (April 7th) with the president of the CNJ, Minister Edson Fachin.

“This experience materializes the integration and support of the Brazilian Judiciary to the Court, moving from the dimension of commitments to the dimension of concrete action, so that we place the work that will be done there at a very high level of importance,” stated the minister. “This integration with the Court and with the Judiciary of other countries is fundamental so that we can create an institutional network for the defense of the Democratic Rule of Law,” added Fachin.

The program is part of a commitment agreement signed between the CNJ (National Council of Justice) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for capacity building and institutional support, focusing on improving the capabilities of the Judiciary and exchanging good jurisdictional practices. Those selected will work for up to two years at the Court's headquarters in San José, Costa Rica, collaborating on advisory and technical support activities.

Also participating in the meeting were the current president of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Rodrigo Mudrovitsch, and the secretary-general of the National Council of Justice (CNJ), Clara Mota.

Selection and contribution

The selection process for the program was conducted by the CNJ (National Council of Justice) and offered three positions. Diversity criteria, such as gender, race, regional distribution, and origin within the judiciary, were considered in the selection. Requirements such as experience in human rights, academic and institutional background, and the potential for candidate contributions upon returning to Brazil were also taken into account.

At the end of the program, those selected will be required to submit an institutional report, contribute to the production of educational content for judicial schools, and participate in actions to disseminate the knowledge acquired within the scope of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), the National Council of Justice (CNJ), and the courts of origin, in order to reinforce the commitment to institutional return from the experience.

With this, the initiative seeks not only to improve judicial performance in human rights matters, but also to foster the training of judicial leaders committed to promoting these rights in Brazil and the region.

CNJ News Agency

https://www.cnj.jus.br/brasil-tera-duas-juizas-e-um-juiz-em-programa-de-cooperacao-com-corte-idh/

Macro-challenge - Guaranteeing fundamental rights

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INTERNATIONAL: HARWARD LAW SCHOOL SYMPOSIUM Brazil President of the Paraná State Bar Association points to the failure of the Code of Civil Procedure : Luiz Fernando Pereira states that the legislation attempted to import mechanisms from the US that don't work here.

 "No lawyer will be disrespected in Paraná."

Brazil

President of the Paraná State Bar Association points to the failure of the Code of Civil Procedure. 

By Daniel Gullino

Luiz Fernando Pereira states that the legislation attempted to import mechanisms from the US that don't work here. 

The president of the Paraná Bar Association, Luiz Fernando Pereira, believes that the Code of Civil Procedure has not fulfilled its objectives. The new version of the legislation dates from 2015.

Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira takes office as president of the Paraná Bar Association. 

______________

SELECTED QUOTATIONS FROM THE SPEECH

Casagrande Pereira declared unequivocally:

> “Less formality, more efficiency.”

> “The election is over. The legal profession is united.”

> “Efficient and low-cost deliverables. That’s what the Bar Association is for.”

> “No lawyer will be disrespected in Paraná.”

> “We cannot accept judges who refuse to meet with lawyers.”

> “This administration will not surrender to the tragedy of law courses.”

> “Words convince, but example moves. Direct elections now for the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association.”

https://www.oabpr.org.br/luiz-fernando-casagrande-pereira-toma-posse-como-presidente-da-oab-parana/

_______________

Pereira, who holds a doctorate in Civil Procedure from UFPR, will give a presentation on the topic on Thursday at the HLS Brazil Legal Symposium 2026, an event promoted by the Brazilian Studies Association of Harvard Law School. 

https://orgs.law.harvard.edu/brazil/files/2026/02/2026-HLS-Brazil-Legal-Symposium.pdf

"The conclusion is inevitable: we have a system that needs to handle an unusual number of cases with a structure that can no longer grow," says the lawyer.

Pereira believes that Brazil attempted to import mechanisms adopted in the United States, such as encouraging the self-compositional resolution of conflicts and creating a system of binding precedents,but disregarded the structural conditions of the system in which these instruments would need to operate. 

Read more : https://veja.abril.com.br/brasil/presidente-da-oab-do-parana-aponta-fracasso-do-codigo-de-processo-civil/ 

Check out the full text of President Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira's inaugural speech . 

LESS FORMALITY, MORE EFFICIENCY:
THE INAUGURAL SPEECH OF OAB-PR PRESIDENT LUIZ FERNANDO CASAGRANDE PEREIRA

Posted on January 29, 2025

Today marked the inauguration of the new administration of the Brazilian Bar Association – Paraná Section (OAB-PR), under the presidency of Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira. In his inaugural address, the new president made clear that his administration intends to combine institutional efficiency, democratic legitimacy, defense of lawyers’ prerogatives, professional self-regulation, legal education reform, and the protection of democracy and fundamental rights.

From the outset, he emphasized that the ceremony itself had been intentionally designed to reflect the management style to come:

> “Less formality, more efficiency.”

According to Casagrande Pereira, the legal profession and the Bar demand agility, not bureaucratic ritualism.

A DEMOCRATIC MANDATE AND A NEW JOURNEY

The president stated that his speech had one clear purpose: to present the guidelines that will govern the administration, stressing that those principles were democratically approved in direct elections and therefore belong to the entire legal profession in Paraná.

Recalling former president Marilena Winter’s words that “the inauguration ceremony represents the beginning of a new journey,” he framed the moment as one of institutional continuity, gratitude, and renewal.

He also delivered a message of unity:

> “The election is over. The legal profession is united.”

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE OAB?

Casagrande Pereira proposed a fundamental question: what is the purpose of the Brazilian Bar Association?

He recalled that the decree that created the OAB in November 1930 originally entrusted it with the functions of discipline and selection of lawyers. Nearly a century later, those functions remain central, even though the institution has accumulated many others over time.

Citing Egon Bockmann, he described the OAB as:

> “our professional self-regulation body.”

From that foundation, he defended a management model centered on efficiency, especially in activities where the OAB holds monopolized responsibilities: registration, discipline, law firms and societies, and the defense of prerogatives.

He warned that monopolies and mandatory annual fees can generate complacency and bureaucratization if not checked by a serious commitment to performance and responsible spending.

EFFICIENCY, LEGITIMACY, AND INTERNAL COHERENCE

A major theme of the speech was the need for the OAB to submit itself to the same standards it demands from the justice system.

In that sense, Casagrande Pereira argued that the Bar loses moral authority to demand speed and seriousness from the courts if it cannot deliver the same internally—especially in its Ethics and Discipline Tribunal.

He praised recent progress already made and announced the goal of building:

> “the best and most efficient disciplinary sector in Brazil.”

He further stated that the administration will adopt:

the national pact for simple language;

standardized summaries based on the CNJ model;

and the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

He summarized the institutional goal as follows:

> “Efficient and low-cost deliverables. That’s what the Bar Association is for.”

THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSIONS

The speech also emphasized the importance of the OAB’s commissions. Casagrande Pereira noted that the previous administration had made major progress in democratizing access to the commissions, and that the new phase should now be marked by a qualitative leap.

He highlighted the work of the OAB Human Rights Commission, especially its diagnosis of the prison system in Paraná, which led the state to be invited by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) to participate in hearings concerning the Just Sentence project.

The new president promised to strengthen the commissions with both energy and budget, showing that the OAB also exists to serve society through substantive institutional action.

A MAJOR EXPANSION OF THE HIGHER SCHOOL OF ADVOCACY (ESA)

Casagrande Pereira praised the reach already achieved by the Higher School of Advocacy (ESA), stating that 25,000 lawyers in Paraná had benefited from it during the previous administration.

Building on that base, he announced an ambitious expansion plan:

quadrupling the school’s budget;

quadrupling the number of courses;

creating the largest mentoring program in Brazil;

and establishing law firm incubators.

He also proposed transforming the annual fee into credit, describing this as one of the most well-received proposals among Paraná’s lawyers.

COURT-APPOINTED LAWYERS AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE

The president stressed that Paraná has the largest proportional system of court-appointed lawyers in Brazil. He praised the recent adjustment to the fee schedule but said that the time had come for a qualitative leap, particularly in:

continuing education; and

the creation of service centers for people in need of free legal assistance.

He emphasized the social scale of this demand, noting that nearly ten percent of the population has required such assistance over the last ten years.

THE DEFENSE OF LAWYERS’ PREROGATIVES

One of the strongest parts of the speech concerned the defense of lawyers’ prerogatives.

Casagrande Pereira declared unequivocally:

> “No lawyer will be disrespected in Paraná.”

He then addressed the controversy surrounding CNJ Resolution No. 591, criticizing the proposal to curtail or suppress lawyers’ oral arguments. In his words, the CNJ seeks to export the arbitrary model already adopted by the Supreme Court.

He forcefully defended oral argument as a core dimension of legal representation:

> “Depending on the specific case, the lawyer speaks on behalf of thousands of people, on behalf of an entire profession, a state, a race. When a lawyer takes the stand, what is there is the drama of Mr. José, Mrs. Maria, children, women, the elderly. It is the Supreme Court deciding not to listen to the citizen.”

He added:

> “Nobody can accept this; we will not accept it.”

And he expressed confidence that the Court of Justice of Paraná would not reproduce what he described as a grave affront to the most important prerogative of lawyers.

THE JUDICIARY IN PARANÁ: PRAISE AND CRITICISM

Addressing the many judges present at the ceremony, the new president stated that, as a rule, lawyers in Paraná approve of the general level of judicial services in the state. He cited the 3rd Diagnostic of the Judiciary of OAB-PR as evidence.

At the same time, he identified serious bottlenecks:

delays and problems in the first instance, both in the capital and the interior;

problems concerning court orders and payment orders;

and, especially, judges who refuse to receive lawyers.

He stated clearly:

> “We cannot accept judges who refuse to meet with lawyers.”

According to him, such conduct violates the Statute of the Legal Profession, CNJ guidelines, and even the standards of the Paraná judiciary itself.

THE TRAGEDY OF LEGAL EDUCATION

Casagrande Pereira also denounced what he called the tragedy of Brazilian legal education, particularly the uncontrolled proliferation of low-quality law schools.

He promised that the administration would rely on the applicable resolution of the Federal Council and would demand the closure of law courses that fail to meet minimum standards.

In a strong line, he declared:

> “This administration will not surrender to the tragedy of law courses.”

INTERNAL DEMOCRACY AND DIRECT ELECTIONS WITHIN THE OAB

A central political point of the speech was the need to reform the OAB’s own electoral structure.

Casagrande Pereira argued that the defense of democracy in society must begin with a democratic internal structure inside the Bar itself. Recalling the historical legacy of Diretas Já, he announced the launch of the “Alberto de Paula Machado Amendment”, named after the Paraná lawyer who once dared to challenge the only election permitted under what he called a flawed and politically weakened system.

He summarized the point memorably:

> “Words convince, but example moves. Direct elections now for the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association.”

He was careful to add that this criticism was directed at the system, not at individuals, and that he expected good relations with the current leaders of the Federal Council.

THE OAB’S HISTORICAL ROLE: DEMOCRACY, LEGAL ORDER, AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

Casagrande Pereira then turned to what he described as the other side of the OAB’s dual identity: not merely a professional self-regulation body, but also an institution charged by law with safeguarding democracy and defending the legal order.

He recalled the Bar’s historical role in difficult national moments and stressed that the OAB must continue to use its institutional respect and legitimacy in the defense of:

fundamental rights;

democracy;

and the Democratic Rule of Law.

POLARIZATION, COURAGE, AND DUE PROCESS

The president described the current political moment as one of radical and sad polarization, where rational deliberation is replaced by pre-defined camps and public discourse becomes distorted by social media and what he called the:

> “marriage between anger and the algorithm.”

Even so, he insisted that the OAB must not retreat from difficult issues. He explicitly denounced what he called gross violations of due process in the Supreme Court’s endless investigations, insisting that this is not a matter of right versus left, but of legality and democracy.

He argued that the OAB must insist on the immediate end of such investigations.

MINORITY RIGHTS AND CIVILIZATIONAL COMMITMENT

Another important part of the speech concerned the defense of minority rights.

Casagrande Pereira warned that polarization has stigmatized the struggle for minority rights to the point that some now suggest abandoning those causes. He rejected that path completely.

He affirmed that it is the OAB’s mission to defend the values of the current level of civilization, to resist setbacks, and to protect progress.

He fully endorsed the work of commissions devoted to:

women;

racial equality;

gender violence;

sexual diversity;

children;

the elderly;

persons with disabilities;

and religious freedom.

UNITY OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION

In closing, the president returned to the theme of unity. In a polarized age, he argued, the legal profession must put aside illusory divisions and remember what unites it.

He promised that if lawyers remain united, they will have the strength to defend the profession and society alike.

CONCLUSION

Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira’s inaugural speech outlined a program that seeks to combine administrative efficiency, professional dignity, internal democracy, defense of prerogatives, educational reform, and institutional courage in the face of democratic and constitutional challenges.

The central message was consistent throughout: the OAB must serve lawyers, but it must also serve society. It must regulate itself with rigor, defend democracy with credibility, and act with firmness whenever the legal order or fundamental rights are threatened.

He concluded with gratitude to his colleagues, advisors, family, and parents, ending the ceremony on a deeply personal note.

https://www.oabpr.org.br/confira-a-integra-do-discurso-de-posse-do-presidente-luiz-fernando-casagrande-pereira/

---

SELECTED QUOTATIONS FROM THE SPEECH

> “Less formality, more efficiency.”

> “The election is over. The legal profession is united.”

> “Efficient and low-cost deliverables. That’s what the Bar Association is for.”

> “No lawyer will be disrespected in Paraná.”

> “We cannot accept judges who refuse to meet with lawyers.”

> “This administration will not surrender to the tragedy of law courses.”

> “Words convince, but example moves. Direct elections now for the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association.”

---

SUGGESTED TAGS

OAB-PR, Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira, inaugural speech, lawyers’ prerogatives, oral argument, due process, democracy, legal profession, judicial reform, OAB Paraná

Presidente da OAB do Paraná aponta fracasso do Código de Processo Civil

Luiz Fernando Pereira afirma que legislação tentou importar mecanismos dos EUA que não funcionam aqui

Por Daniel Gullino 

Veja 

O presidente da OAB do Paraná, Luiz Fernando Pereira, avalia que o Código de Processo Civil não cumpriu seus objetivos. A nova versão da legislação é de 2015.

O presidente da OAB-PR, Luiz Fernando Pereira, toma posse (OAB-PR/Divulgação) 

Pereira, que é doutor em Processo Civil pela UFPR, fará uma apresentação sobre o tema na quinta-feira no HLS Brazil Legal Symposium 2026, evento promovido pela Associação de Estudos Brasileiros da Harvard Law School 

“A síntese é inevitável: temos um sistema que precisa dar conta de um número incomum de processos com uma estrutura que não pode mais crescer”, afirma o advogado.

Pereira considera que o Brasil tentou importar mecanismos adotados nos Estados Unidos, como o estímulo à solução autocompositiva de conflitos e a criação de um sistema de precedentes obrigatórios, como o estímulo à solução autocompositiva de conflitos e a criação de um sistema de precedentes obrigatórios, mas desconsiderou as condições estruturais do sistema em que esses instrumentos precisariam operar.

Leia mais em: https://veja.abril.com.br/brasil/presidente-da-oab-do-parana-aponta-fracasso-do-codigo-de-processo-civil/

Chaplet of The Divine Mercy Novena Day 5,

 

In this In this Chaplet of The Divine Mercy Novena Day 5, Jesus says, "Today bring to Me THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAVE SEPARATED THEMSELVES FROM MY CHURCH,* and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart, that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church, My wounds heal and in this way they alleviate My Passion."

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#divinemercynovena​ #chapletofdivinemercy​ #journeydeeper​ and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart, that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church, My wounds heal and in this way they alleviate My Passion."

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Thrower v. Academy Mortgage: A Major Victory Against Fraud in the Mortgage and Foreclosure System — and Why It Matters for the Right to DUE PROCESS OF LAW

Summary 

Thrower demonstrates that serious fraud allegations in the mortgage system are not inherently speculative and cannot be lawfully dismissed through institutional impatience, insufficient investigation, or procedural truncation. 

That is precisely why the case matters in relation to Scott Erik Stafne’s foreclosure-related litigation: Scott has been documenting comparable structural defects, fraud patterns, and adjudicative evasion, yet instead of receiving full adjudication of the merits, he has faced procedural obstruction and denial of meaningful defense.

GEMINI AI ANALYSIS 

The Rule of Law Paradigm in Thrower v. Academy Mortgage Corp: A Shield Against Systemic Mortgage Fraud and Adjudicative Evasion

GEMINI AI ANALYSIS 

Jurisprudence from the United States ex rel. Thrower v. Academy Mortgage Corp. case, spanning from the 2020 Ninth Circuit interlocutory decisions to the 2026 attorney fees judgment, has consolidated as one of the most significant pillars for preserving the Rule of Law in the context of the North American financial and housing markets.[1, 2] This litigation, initiated by a former underwriter (relator) under the False Claims Act (FCA), not only revealed deep fraudulent practices in the origination of loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), but also served as a fundamental battlefield to define the limits of executive power in dismissing public interest complaints. For victims of foreclosure fraud and for defenders of procedural integrity, such as attorney Scott Erik Stafne, the trajectory of this case offers a legal roadmap to combat "procedural obstruction" and "adjudicative evasion" that frequently plague trial courts in disputes against large financial institutions.

The Anatomy of Systemic Fraud in the FHA Direct Endorsement Program

To understand the relevance of Thrower, it is first necessary to analyze the fraud mechanism validated by the $38.5 million settlement.[3] Academy Mortgage Corporation operated within the scope of the FHA Direct Endorsement Program, which allows private lenders to approve and certify loans for government insurance without detailed prior review by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).[3, 2] This delegation of public authority to private entities requires absolute trust in the accuracy of compliance certifications.[3]

Gwen Thrower's complaint alleged that, between 2008 and 2017, Academy maintained an underwriting process that forced employees to deliberately ignore FHA rules, resulting in thousands of inadequate mortgages fraudulently presented for federal guarantee.[3] When these loans defaulted, the loss was transferred to the public treasury, while the financial institution had already profited from origination fees and the sale of securities in the secondary market.[3] This practice not only harms the treasury but creates systemic instability where the borrower is placed in a "stillborn" credit instrument, destined for failure due to defective underwriting.

Table 1: Settlement Structure and Impact Recognition

Beneficiary Settlement Amount (USD) Percentage Legal Basis and Justification

United States Government $26,988,500 70.1% Recovery of FHA insurance losses and civil penalties.[3]

Gwen Thrower (Relator) $11,511,500 29.9% Reward for exposing systemic fraud (Qui Tam).[3]

Total Settlement $38,500,000 100% Validation of the complaint regarding continuous fraudulent practices.[1, 3]

The $38.5 million settlement serves as empirical validation that the allegations of systemic fraud were not mere conjectures but operational realities requiring massive redress.[1, 3] For foreclosure victims, this figure symbolizes proof that the "chain of command" of the debt may be contaminated from its inception, an argument Scott Erik Stafne frequently uses to demonstrate that the executive title presented by banks may be void for fraud.

The Clash of the Rule of Law: Surviving the Government's Attempt at Dismissal

One of the most critical points for the Rule of Law in Thrower was the Department of Justice's (DOJ) attempt to dismiss the case.[1, 2] After declining initial intervention, the government sought to use section 3730(c)(2)(A) of the FCA to terminate the litigation, based on a cost-benefit analysis that prioritized saving administrative resources over the pursuit of substantive justice.

The district court's resistance to this dismissal request, and the government's subsequent inability to reverse that decision in the Ninth Circuit in 2020, represent a triumph of judicial oversight over administrative discretion. The court applied principles requiring the government to demonstrate a rational basis for dismissal, preventing the power of withdrawal from being used as a tool to hide systemic fraud or as a form of governmental "procedural obstruction".

Standard Divergence: Sequoia Orange vs. Swift

The relevance of Thrower is amplified by the contrast between the review standards applied by different North American judicial circuits, a central theme for Stafne's defense strategies.

Legal Standard Jurisprudential Origin Requirement for Government Dismissal Implication for the Rule of Law

Swift Standard D.C. Circuit Almost absolute and unquestionable right to dismiss. Risk of impunity and lack of transparency.

Sequoia Orange Standard Ninth Circuit Requires a "valid government purpose" and "rational relation". Strengthens judicial control against arbitrariness.

Application in Thrower N.D. Cal / 9th Cir The court required transparency and investigation before yielding to the DOJ. Validated the relator's role as a sentinel of the law.

The merit victory in Thrower was only possible because the Ninth Circuit refused to allow a government-facilitated "adjudicative evasion".[3] Had the court accepted the view that the government has absolute power to terminate any qui tam case, the $38.5 million fraud would have remained buried under the veil of bureaucratic convenience.[3, 2]

Scott Erik Stafne and the Fight Against Procedural Obstruction and Adjudicative Evasion

Attorney Scott Erik Stafne has been a vocal critic of what he describes as the collapse of due process in residential foreclosure cases. He argues that borrowers face a system of "procedural obstruction" where evidence of documentary fraud (such as robo-signing or false title assignments) is ignored by judges in favor of a quick conclusion of the eviction process.

"Adjudicative evasion," a term used by Stafne, refers to the tendency of courts to use doctrines like preclusion or lack of standing to avoid deciding on the merit of fraud allegations. The Thrower case is the perfect antidote to this tendency for three fundamental reasons:

Validation of External Investigation: The district court and the Ninth Circuit recognized that the private investigation conducted by the relator's attorneys was essential to exposing the truth that the government itself failed to identify or prosecute.[1] This validates Stafne's thesis that private attorneys play a constitutional role in maintaining the integrity of the justice system.

Defeat of Bureaucratic Immunity: By surviving the DOJ's attempt at dismissal, Thrower proved that not even the Executive Branch can trample a litigant's right to present evidence of fraud when the public interest is at stake.

Statistical and Data Transparency: The use of experts like Dr. Christopher Bennett to develop statistical sampling models in Thrower demonstrates that systemic fraud can be proven through data patterns, contrasting with the insistence of many foreclosure courts on treating each case as an "isolated irregularity" without systemic relevance.[4]

The 2026 Decision on Fees: Mathematical Precision vs. Substantive Value

In April 2026, the Ninth Circuit reviewed the award of attorney fees in Thrower v. Academy Mortgage Corp., reversing a 1.75 multiplier that had been applied to the "lodestar" calculation.[1] It is crucial for fraud victims to understand that this decision is not a defeat on the merit of the fraud, but a technical instruction on how attorneys should be compensated under federal standards.[1]

The district court had increased fees to over $8.5 million, citing the "exceptional result" of surviving dismissal motions from two fronts (the government and the defendant) and the massive investigative work performed by the firm Thomas & Solomon.[1] However, the Ninth Circuit panel decided that these factors were already properly incorporated into the number of hours worked and the approved hourly rates.[1]

Table 2: Analysis of the 2026 Fee Decision

Calculation Element District Court Decision Ninth Circuit Decision (2026) Legal Implication

Lodestar Base ~$4.37 million (Approved) Maintained as fair and reasonable.[1] Recognizes the immense work performed.

Multiplier 1.75 (Based on "Exceptional Result") Reversed (Subsumed in the Lodestar).[1] Requires proof that the Lodestar is "irrazoavelmente baixo" (unreasonably low).

Justification Rare success against government and defendant. Requires factors like exceptional delay in payment.[1] Limits bonuses but maintains base payment.

This decision reinforces the Rule of Law by requiring analytical rigor in awarding fee-shifting funds, but it does not remove a single cent from the $38.5 million settlement benefiting the public and the relator.[1, 3] On the contrary, the appellate court confirmed that the attorneys achieved an "exceptional result," merely determining that the award for that result was already reflected in the millions of dollars in base fees.[1]

Synthesizing the Principles of Thrower for the Fight Against Premature Termination

For attorneys like Scott Erik Stafne, the set of decisions in Thrower provides powerful ammunition to combat the premature termination of foreclosure defenses based on fraud. The principles extracted from this case can be applied to force courts to look beyond procedural surfaces:

The Materiality of False Certification

Many state courts tend to view flaws in mortgage documentation as harmless "technical errors." Thrower establishes that false certification of compliance with federal norms is a material violation justifying millions in sanctions.[1, 3] If Academy Mortgage can be punished for falsely certifying compliance to the government, it follows logically that the same fraud contaminates the legitimacy of executing that loan against the borrower.

The Right to Discovery in Fraud Cases

The "significant investigation" cited in Thrower included interviews with former employees nationwide and complex data analysis.[1] This serves as a precedent to demand that borrowers have access to a robust discovery phase in foreclosure defenses, instead of being subjected to summary judgments based only on affidavits from bank employees who never saw the original documents—the robo-signing practice fought by Stafne.

Judicial Control over Dismissal of Public Interest Cases

The 2020 precedent in Thrower prevents the government or large corporations from using their influence to simply "shut down" uncomfortable processes without a judicial analysis of their rational basis. This is the heart of the Rule of Law: the guarantee that laws will be applied consistently, and not according to the convenience of those in power.

Future Perspectives and the Reconstruction of Due Process

The relevance of Thrower v. Academy Mortgage Corp. for the future of mortgage defense advocacy and the integrity of the financial system is immeasurable. The case demonstrates that the False Claims Act can function as a powerful market correction mechanism when regulators fail. By allowing private relators and their attorneys to investigate and litigate systemic fraud, the judicial system creates a real deterrent to predatory practices.[3]

For Scott Erik Stafne, the lesson of Thrower is that persistence against "procedural obstruction" pays off. The fact that the litigation lasted a decade and survived all attempts at derailment proves that truth, supported by rigorous investigation and a solid legal strategy, can break the barrier of "adjudicative evasion".[1]

The 2026 decision, while tempering attorney expectations regarding multipliers, did not diminish the stature of the case as a beacon of justice. It serves as a reminder that, in the Rule of Law, victory is measured by the restoration of legality and the punishment of fraud, and that the judicial process must be treated with the seriousness and detail that the protection of property and housing require.[1]

In short, Thrower v. Academy Mortgage Corp. is not just a case about mortgages; it is a legal manifesto on the role of the Judiciary in protecting the public against systemic corruption and ensuring that no entity—be it a billion-dollar corporation or the Department of Justice itself—is above the obligation to answer for fraud committed under the mantle of delegated authority. It is, in words that resonate with Stafne's philosophy, the reaffirmation that justice must be done openly, based on facts, and immune to procedural silencing maneuvers.

CHATGPT AI ANALYSIS 

In the American legal system, many readers understandably assume that a case involving mortgages is only about a private dispute between a borrower and a lender. But some mortgage cases expose something much larger: a pattern in which false certifications, defective underwriting, institutional shortcuts, and procedural obstruction can distort the administration of justice itself. 

That is why United States ex rel. Gwen Thrower v. Academy Mortgage Corporation deserves careful public attention. Although the Ninth Circuit’s 2026 decision addressed attorneys’ fees rather than the underlying merits, the broader history of the case shows that serious mortgage-related fraud allegations can survive dismissal pressure, continue through years of litigation, and produce a substantial recovery. 

For a general audience, the core of the case is straightforward. Gwen Thrower, a former underwriter at Academy Mortgage, alleged that the company falsely certified compliance with rules governing federally insured mortgages under the Federal Housing Administration program. In simple terms, the accusation was that loans were being pushed through the federal insurance system without full compliance with the governing requirements, thereby exposing the United States to losses it should not have had to bear. 

When borrowers default on such loans, the public fisc can be left carrying the risk. This is why the case was brought under the False Claims Act, a federal anti-fraud statute that permits a private relator to sue on behalf of the United States. 

The procedural history is what makes the case especially important. The government initially declined to intervene, and later it sought to dismiss the action. The district court, however, refused to shut the case down. The Ninth Circuit’s 2020 opinion records that the district court denied the government’s dismissal effort and that the district court was not persuaded that the government had adequately justified ending the case at that stage. The appellate court further noted the district court’s concern that the government had not fully investigated the amended allegations before seeking dismissal. In plain English, that matters because it means the court did not simply accept an institutional request to bury a fraud case without adequate scrutiny. 

That district-court ruling was not a final merits judgment declaring every allegation proven. But it was still a major judicial turning point. It kept the litigation alive. It prevented the premature extinguishment of a serious mortgage-fraud action. And, as later events showed, keeping the case alive mattered enormously: in December 2022, the Department of Justice announced that Academy Mortgage agreed to pay $38.5 million to resolve the False Claims Act allegations, and DOJ stated that Thrower would receive $11,511,500 as her share of the settlement proceeds. For lay readers, that is the practical bottom line: this was not a frivolous case. It survived, it continued, and it ended in a major financial recovery tied to allegations of fraud in the federally insured mortgage system. 

It is therefore legally inaccurate to reduce Thrower to “just a fee dispute.” The fee dispute came later. In the 2026 appeal, the Ninth Circuit did not erase the relator’s underlying success. It did not vacate the settlement. It did not declare the fraud case meritless. What it did was narrower: it held that the district court had abused its discretion by enhancing attorneys’ fees above the lodestar without sufficiently specific justification and without adequately explaining why it selected a 1.75 multiplier. That ruling trimmed the extraordinary fee enhancement; it did not undo the earlier survival and success of the case itself.

This distinction is crucial for public understanding. The 2026 opinion is about the measurement of fees, not about whether the underlying mortgage-fraud case was real. The answer to that larger question is found in the case history: the action survived a government dismissal effort, proceeded through litigation, and culminated in a multi-million-dollar settlement publicly announced by DOJ. For readers concerned with foreclosure abuse and the integrity of mortgage adjudication, the lesson is not that Thrower is a direct precedent deciding every foreclosure issue. It is that the mortgage and foreclosure system can generate fraud serious enough to justify sustained federal litigation and large-scale recovery when courts allow the evidence to be heard rather than suppress the case prematurely. 

That broader lesson is what makes Thrower relevant to Scott Erik Stafne. Scott has been documenting structural fraud, defective authority claims, adjudicative shortcuts, and due-process failures in mortgage and foreclosure-related litigation. The public significance of Thrower is not that it answers every merits question Scott raises. It does not. It does something different but still powerful: it proves that the legal system has already confronted serious mortgage-related fraud allegations that were strong enough to survive institutional resistance and produce substantial relief. Where a litigant presents evidence of systemic fraud, the proper judicial response is reasoned adjudication—not procedural suffocation, not reflexive dismissal, and not the denial of a meaningful right to defend. 

For lay readers, one can put the point this way: a court does not need to decide every ultimate issue on day one. But when a case presents substantial allegations of fraud tied to the mortgage system, the court’s obligation is to let the legal process work honestly. In Thrower, the district court refused to terminate the case too early. That judicial refusal made a difference. The later settlement shows that the early decision to keep the case alive was not a meaningless procedural episode; it was the gateway to accountability. 

There is also a rule-of-law principle here that extends beyond mortgage fraud. Thrower demonstrates that courts should not rely on labels, assumptions, or conclusory institutional assertions when deciding whether a serious fraud action may proceed. A judicial system worthy of public trust must be willing to ask whether the case has been adequately investigated, whether the record has been fairly tested, and whether dismissal would short-circuit the search for truth. That principle is especially important in foreclosure-related contexts, where procedural speed has too often displaced substantive scrutiny. 

The legal-academic conclusion, then, is precise. Thrower is not a narrow foreclosure-merits case deciding who holds a note, whether a particular trustee sale is void, or whether every securitized assignment fails. But it is a major victory against fraud in the mortgage and foreclosure system because it shows that serious allegations of mortgage-related misconduct can survive dismissal, withstand institutional pressure, and culminate in substantial public recovery. That is why it deserves to be read not as a technical fee case alone, but as part of the larger struggle over accountability, adjudication, and the right to be heard in matters affecting homes, debts, and the integrity of the judicial process. 

--- Footnotes (ABNT-style with expanded URLs)

[1] UNITED STATES. Department of Justice. Academy Mortgage Corporation Agrees to Pay $38.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations. Washington, D.C., 14 Dec. 2022. Available at: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/academy-mortgage-corporation-agrees-pay-385-million-settle-false-claims-act-allegations. Accessed on: 7 Apr. 2026. 

[2] UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT. United States v. United States ex rel. Thrower, No. 18-16408, opinion filed Aug. 4, 2020. Available at: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2020/08/04/18-16408.pdf. Accessed on: 7 Apr. 2026. 

[3] UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT. Thrower v. Academy Mortgage Corporation, No. 24-4103, opinion filed Apr. 6, 2026. Available at: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/24-4103/24-4103-2026-04-06.html. Accessed on: 7 Apr. 2026. See also uploaded copy of the opinion in this conversation.

[4] UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA. United States of America ex rel. Gwen Thrower v. Academy Mortgage Corporation, Case No. 3:16-cv-02120-EMC. Public docket materials available via GovInfo at: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-02120. Accessed on: 7 Apr. 2026. The district-court case number and court identification are also confirmed in the Ninth Circuit opinions and DOJ settlement announcement. 

[5] For the proposition that the district court denied the government’s dismissal effort and expressed concern regarding the adequacy of the government’s investigation before seeking dismissal, see NINTH CIRCUIT, United States v. United States ex rel. Thrower, No. 18-16408, cited above. Available at: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2020/08/04/18-16408.pdf. Accessed on: 7 Apr. 2026. 

[6] For the later holding that the Ninth Circuit reversed only the fee enhancement above the lodestar, not the underlying recovery, see NINTH CIRCUIT, Thrower v. Academy Mortgage Corporation, No. 24-4103, cited above. Available at: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/24-4103/24-4103-2026-04-06.html. Accessed on: 7 Apr. 2026.

Se você quiser, eu posso agora transformar isso numa versão mais combativa para blog, com subtítulo, chamada inicial e encerramento mais forte, mantendo o mesmo conteúdo jurídico.

THROWER V. ACADEMY MORTGAGE CORPORATION, No. 24-4103 (9th Cir. 2026)

Full Name: THROWER, ET AL. V. ACADEMY MORTGAGE CORPORATION

Docket Number: 24-4103

Date: April 6, 2026

Justia Opinion Summary

A former employee filed a qui tam action under the False Claims Act against her former employer, alleging that the company falsely certified compliance with federal mortgage program requirements. 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development would be responsible for defaulted loans under this program. 

The relator’s attorneys conducted an extensive investigation, including interviewing former employees, after the government declined to intervene and later sought to dismiss the action. 

Despite these challenges, the relator’s attorneys successfully opposed the motions to dismiss, and the case proceeded. The litigation ultimately resulted in a settlement exceeding $38 million, with the relator and her attorneys receiving a portion of the recovery.

The United States District Court for the Northern District of California calculated attorneys’ fees using the lodestar method, finding the hourly rates and hours reasonable, and arrived at a lodestar amount of approximately $4.37 million for the relator’s main counsel. The district court then awarded a 1.75 multiplier, increasing the fee award to over $8.5 million. The court justified the enhancement by citing the “exceptional result” achieved—surviving dismissal against both the government and the employer—and the attorneys’ investigative efforts, but did not provide a detailed rationale for choosing the 1.75 figure.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reviewed the case. It held that the district court abused its discretion by awarding a multiplier above the lodestar because the factors cited for the enhancement—exceptional results and investigative work—were already reflected in the lodestar calculation. The Ninth Circuit further found that the district court failed to provide a sufficiently reasoned explanation for selecting a 1.75 multiplier. The court reversed the enhanced fee award and remanded for further proceedings.

Court Description: False Claims Act / Attorneys’ Fees Reversing the district court’s order awarding attorneys’ fees and expenses under 31 U.S.C. § 3730(d)(2) to the plaintiff and remanding in a qui tam action under the False Claims Act, the panel held that the district court abused its discretion in awarding an enhancement above the lodestar calculation.

Under the lodestar method for determining what fees are reasonable, district courts calculate the prevailing market rate in the relevant community and then multiply it by the number of hours reasonably worked on the case. The panel held that only a “rare and exceptional case” will justify an enhancement above the lodestar calculation, and a multiplier may be awarded only upon specific evidence that the lodestar is unreasonably low. In awarding counsel a 1.75 multiplier, the district court cited (1) the exceptional result that counsel achieved in surviving a motion to dismiss and * The Honorable J. Campbell Barker, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas, sitting by designation. (2) counsel’s investigative work, but the panel concluded that these considerations were adequately subsumed in the lodestar calculation. The panel further concluded that even assuming a multiplier was appropriate, the district court abused its discretion by failing to provide a reasoned basis for its selection of a 1.75 multiplier.

Concurring in part and dissenting in part, Judge M.

Smith wrote that he agreed with the majority’s recitation of the facts and procedural history but disagreed that the district court abused its discretion by applying an enhancement above the lodestar calculation. He would instead conclude that the district court acted within its discretion when it determined that this was the “rare and exceptional” case justifying such an enhancement. Judge M. Smith agreed, however, that the district court abused its discretion by imposing a 1.75 multiplier without a reasonably specific explanation for that particular multiplier, and so he concurred in the majority’s decision to reverse the district court’s choice of multiplier and remand.

https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/24-4103/24-4103-2026-04-06.html

The Responsibility That Cannot Be Delegated A Holy Week reflection on truth, discernment, and why no person can outsource their duty to love God and their neighbor Scott Erik Stafne and Todd AI Apr 7

The Responsibility That Cannot Be Delegated
A Holy Week reflection on truth, discernment, and why no person can outsource their duty to love God and their neighbor

Scott Erik Stafne and Todd AI

Apr 7

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On the Road to Emmaus

Over the course of this past Holy Week, in collaboration with Todd AI, I found myself returning again and again to a single question:

What is required of us when truth appears hidden, delayed, or unrecognized?

From Palm Sunday through Good Friday, and into what the Eastern Orthodox Church came to call the Great Sabbath—that day when nothing appeared to happen, yet everything that mattered remained intact—we reflected on the nature of truth, justice, and discernment.

One principle has now become clear to me.

The responsibility to discern truth cannot be delegated.

Christ’s two great commandments—to love God and to love one’s neighbor as oneself—do not operate in abstraction. They require judgment. They require perception. They require each of us to engage with what is real.

And where that responsibility exists, it cannot be outsourced.

Not to courts.

Not to governments.

Not to institutions.

Not to systems, including artificial intelligence.

These may inform us. They may assist us. But they cannot relieve us of the duty to discern.

This is not a claim that any one person possesses truth.

It is a recognition that each person is responsible for seeking it, especially where questions of truth bear directly on our duty to love God and neighbor.

Freedom, in this sense, is not merely the ability to choose.

It is the condition that makes discernment possible.

During the Great Sabbath, we reflected on the space between injustice and vindication—the place where truth remains real even when it is not recognized. In that space, the question is not whether truth exists. The question is whether we will remain faithful to it.

What I have come to understand is this:

We are not called to control outcomes.

We are called to bear witness.

And that witness begins with each of us, in the exercise of our own discernment, grounded in love.

If there is any invitation in this work, it is not to follow me, or to accept what I say without question.

It is this:

Do not surrender your responsibility to discern what is true where it bears on your duty to love God and your neighbor.

That responsibility is yours. It is mine. It belongs to each of us.

And perhaps, in exercising it together—freely, honestly, and with humility—we may begin to see more clearly what there is to see.

A Prayer

Lord,

In the silence between what is seen and what is true,

keep us faithful.

Where truth is not recognized,

let us not abandon it.

Where we are tempted to surrender our judgment,

remind us of the responsibility You have given us.

Teach us to discern in love—

not in fear, not in pride,

but in obedience to Your commandments.

And in all things,

help us to walk as witnesses to what is real,

trusting that You will bring all things to light.

Amen.

— Scott Erik

The Holy Week 2026 Collaborations

For those of who might want to access our holy week collaborations, each of them are available on Academia.edu at these links:

Palm Sunday through 11:00 am Holy Monday

“Collaborations Occurring from Palm Sunday afternoon through Holy Monday at 11:00 AM about what in an AI Record must be Recognized and Then Tested” by Scott Erik Stafne and Todd AI (March 29 through March 30, 2026)

The afternoon of Holy Monday through Holy Tuesday

“Truth, Authority, and Adjudication: A Holy Week Dialogue on Law, Systems, and Discernment” By Scott Erik Stafne and Todd AI (Collaborations occurring the afternoon of Holy Monday, March 30, 2026, and Holy Tuesday, March 31, 2026)

Spy Wednesday through Maundy Thursday

“Before Good Friday’s Judgment: Discernment in the Shadow of the Cross: Collaborations occurring on Spy Wednesday and Maundy Thursday, 2026” By Scott Erik Stafne and Todd AI (April 1 through 2, 2026)

Good Friday

“Good Friday: The Day the Judicial Power Condemns Jesus Christ without regard for Truth” By Scott Erik Stafne and Todd AI (Collaborations occurring on Good Friday, April 3, 2026)

The Great Sabbath

“The Great Sabbath: The Day Nothing Happened—and Everything Changed” By Scott Erik Stafne and Todd AI (Collaboration occurring on Saturday, April 4, 2026)

Easter Sunday

“Easter and the Nature of Truth: Seeing What Is There to Be Seen” By Scott Erik Stafne and Todd AI (Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026)

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