Fundamental Rights and Justice, with all its complexity and multidimensionality, are besides being inseparable values and inherent to any society that intends to be legitimately founded and organized, a permanent duty and constant challenge to the States (both in the internal as in the international perspective) and to each one of us. Besides this, Fundamental Rights and Justice, in the material and procedural perspective, also constitute the axis in which the concentration areas are structured, the research lines, the curriculum structure, research projects and the technical and scientific production of the Graduate Program in Law (Masters and Doctorate) of the Law School of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul. Therefore; the option for the name of this journal that presently begins, as a qualified means for national and international academic and scientific insertion, could not be better, precisely when our Masters and Doctorate in Law celebrates its 20th anniversary, together with the 60th anniversary of the Law School. The new journal will also add itself to the already consecrated Journal of our Criminal Science Graduate Course, which has completed ten years of activities this year. Both programs have been a source of qualified research and academic production, in their respective concentration areas and research lines, a reason for pride by their coordinators, professors, office staff and students.

As the Graduate Course Coordinator for Law at PUCRS (Masters and Doctorate) and the President of the Editorial Board, it is with great happiness and pride that I present this first issue, as a trimester publication and that has the firm purpose, which is already fulfilled in its first issue, of being from the very beginning, a high level publication, not only being depositary for the internal production of the teaching staff and student body, of the Graduate Program at PUCRS, but also counting on the permanent help of other national and foreign authors, having from articles and doctrinal essays, comments of court decisions, book reviews, among others. It should also be highlighted with pride the prompt adhesion of well-known Brazilian and foreign colleagues that have accepted our invitation to be part of the first composition of the Editorial Board, which will actively select the articles to be published.

However, a Journal with all the planning and execution it demands cannot be a one person’s job, even if it was someone’s idea that made the whole process go on. Thus, it is necessary to thank all the ones who helped, direct or indirectly, beginning by the approval of our project by the Law Graduate Program Coordinating Board, The Board of Law School, represented here by its dean, Professor Jarbas Lima, as well as by the support and welcome from the Research and Graduation Pro-Rectory, represented by Professor Jorge Audy, and the University High Administration Staff, represented by the Magnificent Rector, Brother and Professor Joaquim Clotet. We also thank our colleagues of the teaching staff, especially Professors Carlos Alberto Molinaro and José Tesheiner, for since the beginning, when we suggested the creation of the Journal; both have behaved as real partners in helping us make this project come true. We also thank the Office staff and our students, giving special thanks to the receptiveness of the HS Publishing Company in making the publication and distribution of this Journal feasible with their usual competence. Finally, we wish that this Journal, but above all, Fundamental Rights and Justice might all have a promising future.

Prof. Dr. Ingo Wolfgang Sarlet
Coordinator for the Law Graduate Program at PUCRS
President of the Editorial Board of the Fundamental Rights & Justice Journal