# Law No. 2320 of September 10, 1954

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649543](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649543)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-2320-of-september-10-1954

## Summary
Law No. 2320 of September 10, 1954 (Lei nº 2320, de 10 de setembro de 1954) is a Brazilian statute that authorizes a special budgetary adjustment ("Credito Especial") for the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs. Promulgated by President Café Filho, it is a formal written document creating legal norms within the jurisdiction of Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 2320, de 10 de setembro de 1954.
- **Type of Legal Instrument:** Statute (formal written document creating law).
- **Date of Promulgation:** September 10, 1954.
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (Café Filho).
- **Country:** Brazil.
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro (then capital).
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Main Subjects:** Special budgetary adjustment (Credito Especial), Ministério da Justiça e Negócios Interiores (Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs), expense (Despesa).
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1954-09-10;2320.
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 2320/1954.
- **Wikimedia Project:** On focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws.
- **Availability:** Available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2320.htm.

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 2320/1954?**
This law authorizes a "Credito Especial" (special budgetary adjustment) to cover expenses for the Ministério da Justiça e Negócios Interiores (Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs).

**Who approved and promulgated this law?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President Café Filho on September 10, 1954.

**Where was this law published and in what language?**
The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which was the federal capital at the time. It is written in Brazilian Portuguese.

**What type of legal document is this?**
It is a statute, defined as a formal written document that creates law, including acts, executive orders, and by-laws.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 2320 of September 10, 1954, represents a specific instance of Brazilian statutory law during the mid-20th century, a period of significant political transition. Its enactment by President Café Filho, who assumed office following the suicide of Getúlio Vargas just weeks prior, marks it as a legal instrument from a brief and turbulent presidential term. The law's focus on a "special budgetary adjustment" highlights the routine yet essential financial mechanisms a government uses to fund specific ministries—in this case, the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs—outside of the standard annual budget process. As a public domain document, it provides transparent access to the administrative and fiscal history of the Brazilian state.

## Notable For
- **Promulgation Authority:** Enacted by President Café Filho during his short term as President of Brazil (1954–1955).
- **Specific Budgetary Function:** Targets a "Credito Especial" (special credit) for a specific ministry, illustrating targeted fiscal legislation.
- **Historical Context:** Signed on September 10, 1954, just days after the death of President Getúlio Vargas (August 24, 1954).
- **Legal Classification:** A clear example of a Brazilian "statute" (Lei), the foundational legal document type defined as a formal written work that creates law.
- **Public Accessibility:** Fully available online via the official Planalto Palace website and identified with a structured LexML URN.

## Body

### Legal Classification and Definition
Law No. 2320 of September 10, 1954, is formally classified as a **statute**. In legal terminology, a statute is a formal written document enacted to create law, encompassing acts passed by legislatures, executive orders, and by-laws. It functions as the physical or formal expression of a legal rule and is considered a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." This law, like all statutes, is composed of "legal norms" and its creation is an act of "legislation."

### Subject Matter and Provisions
The law's primary function is to authorize a **special budgetary adjustment** (Credito Especial). The stated purpose, as recorded in its metadata, involves addressing an **expense** (Despesa) for the **Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs** (Ministério da Justiça e Negócios Interiores). Special credits are legislative mechanisms used to authorize spending that was not included in the annual budget law, often necessitated by unforeseen circumstances or specific administrative needs.

### Provenance and Promulgation
The statute was approved by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The promulgation, the formal act of proclaiming the law, was performed by **Café Filho**. Café Filho served as President of Brazil from August 24, 1954, to November 8, 1955, assuming office after the death of his predecessor. The law was signed and published on **September 10, 1954**, placing it within the very beginning of his administration. The **place of publication** was **Rio de Janeiro**, which was the capital of Brazil until 1960.

### Jurisdiction and Language
This legal instrument applies to the entire **jurisdiction of Brazil**. It is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the country. Its full official title in this language is "Lei nº 2320, de 10 de setembro de 1954," and it is commonly cited as "Lei nº 2320/1954."

### Digital Availability and Identifiers
As an edict of government, the law is in the **public domain**, ensuring unrestricted public access. It can be accessed online through the official portal of the Presidency of the Republic at the Planalto Palace website: `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2320.htm`. The law is indexed in the Brazilian Legal Information System (LexML) with the unique identifier: **urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1954-09-10;2320**. It is also cataloged under the focus of **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, a Wikimedia project dedicated to organizing information on Brazilian legislation.

### Connection to Brazil
The law is intrinsically linked to the **Federative Republic of Brazil**, a country in South America with a federal republic government. Brazil's legal system, rooted in civil law, functions through the creation of statutes like this one. The country, which declared independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822, operates under a constitution with executive, legislative, and judicial branches, with the President serving as both head of state and head of government. This law is a product of that federal system, originating from the executive branch during a specific historical moment in the nation's capital at Rio de Janeiro.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1954-09-10;2320)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=2320&ano=1954&data=10/09/1954&ato=86fATV61UeJRVT604)