The increased use of the judicial system for resolution of social issues in Brazil has had repercussions on social policies and directly affects the administration of social issues. This is a trend that stands out in Brazilian democracy, in the context of the advance of neoliberal policies. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the debate about the treatment of policies in the courts and the social question in Brazil, highlighting the change in the role of the judiciary and the action of Social Work in socio-juridical issues. The relevance for Social Work is due to its contribution to the task of making justice more substantive. This work has ethical implications, because at the same time that it leans towards a defense of citizenship, from a perspective that promotes rights, it also serves to perfect social control mechanisms.