The Brazilian judge handling criminal charges against U.S. oil company Chevron , drill-rig operator Transocean and 17 of their employees over a November oil spill granted two of the accused permission to leave Brazil to visit their families, documents posted on Monday on a court Web site showed.

The decision could be a sign courts will be lenient with defendants during a unprecedented Brazilian criminal case that could last years and result in prison sentences of up to 31 years.