In this research, I sought to bring to light a reflection on the erudition employed by Brazilian jurists when it comes to drafting legal documents. The corpus of this research is two cases of administrative improbity involving Brazilian public administrators from cities in the interior of the state of Paraná. The names of those involved have been replaced by fictitious names in order to preserve the identity of those accused by prosecutors of administrative improbity. From reading forensic documents, it can be concluded that erudition is part of the legal vocabulary because it is a discursive practice that is justified by both historical and social issues.