Public Services

Government and Public Prosecutor's Office align against norm delaying payment to court-appointed lawyers

The Minister of Justice, Rita Alarcão Júdice, announced on 4 November that she has signed an ordinance to revise the payment rules for court-appointed lawyers (defensores oficiosos). Currently, Article 25 of Ordinance 10/2008 mandates that these lawyers are only paid after the final resolution of a case, which in 'mega-trials' like BES or Operação Marquês can take years. The Ministry of Justice and the Public Prosecutor's Office now agree that this system violates the constitutional right to remuneration and professional dignity.

Why it matters

If you are a lawyer working as a court-appointed defender, this legislative change aims to fix a systemic issue that prevents you from receiving timely payment for your work in long-running trials.

Observador· 1h agoRead original ↗

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Public Services

PSP may pause crackdown on protest encampments until Christmas Market, if risk remains low

The police (PSP) may stop active efforts to clear housing-protest encampments in Lisbon and Porto as long as the perceived security risk remains low. In Lisbon, protesters are expected to vacate Rossio by the time the Christmas Market is installed, which occurs between 7 November and 10 November. A court ruling mandates that if the protest and market cannot coexist, authorities must provide a nearby alternative location that preserves the protest's visibility.

Diário de Notícias· 1h agoRead original ↗

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Public Services

Public Prosecutor investigates woman who promised Lisbon City Council houses in exchange for thousands of euros

The Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating a woman accused of defrauding several families by promising to secure municipal housing in Lisbon outside of the official, competitive bidding process. Victims paid between 6,000 and 9,000 euros for these promised homes, but were left without housing and lost their money.

CNN Portugal· 1h agoRead original ↗

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Public Services

A1 partially reopened southbound-northbound after vehicle fire in Gaia

Traffic on the A1 motorway in Vila Nova de Gaia was partially reopened at 19:13 on 4 November, following a closure at 18:24 due to a vehicle fire. Authorities reopened one lane for traffic at the 296-kilometre mark in Mafamude, with no injuries reported from the incident.

Observador· 1h agoRead original ↗

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Media-reported alerts

Gondomar City Council creates new waste regulations with fines up to 5,000 euros · Correio da Manhã · 4h ago
Power cuts planned across 11 areas of Portugal · The Portugal News · 2d ago
Rail service suspended on the Douro Line between Marco and Régua from November to March · Correio da Manhã · 3w ago
Banking union reschedules protests · Observador · 4w ago

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