# Law No. 2777 of May 10, 1956

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105650547](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105650547)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-2777-of-may-10-1956

## Summary
Law No. 2777 of May 10, 1956 is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek. It modifies Article 41 of Law 217 of January 15, 1948, which served as the Organic Law of the Federal District, and was published in Rio de Janeiro, then the federal capital.

## Key Facts
- **Title:** Lei nº 2777, de 10 de maio de 1956
- **Alternative Name:** Lei nº 2777/1956
- **Instance Type:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Date of Publication:** May 10, 1956
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **President at Enactment:** Juscelino Kubitschek
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Legal Digest Summary:** Modifies Article 41 of Law 217 (January 15, 1948), the Organic Law of the Federal District
- **Main Subjects:** Federal District (Distrito Federal), Change (Alteração), Correlation (Correlação)
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-05-10;2777
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2777.htm
- **WikiProject Classification:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What does Law No. 2777 of May 10, 1956 do?**
Law No. 2777 modifies Article 41 of Law 217, enacted on January 15, 1948. Law 217 was the Organic Law of the Federal District, meaning this 1956 statute amended the administrative framework governing Brazil's Federal District.

**Who approved and promulgated this law?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Juscelino Kubitschek, who served from 1956 to 1961. It was promulgated on May 10, 1956, in Rio de Janeiro, which was then the capital of Brazil before the move to Brasília in 1960.

**What type of legal document is this?**
This is a statute (estatuto), defined as a formal written document that creates law. As a subclass of written work, document, and rule, it represents the manifestation of statutory law enacted by the Brazilian federal government.

**Where can the full text of this law be found?**
The official text is available through the Brazilian government's Planalto Palace website at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2777.htm and is indexed under the LexML Brazil identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-05-10;2777.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 2777 of May 10, 1956 represents an important modification to the administrative structure of Brazil's Federal District during a pivotal period in the country's history. Enacted just four years before Brazil moved its capital from Rio de Janeiro to the newly constructed city of Brasília, this law amended the Organic Law of the Federal District (Law 217 of 1948), which governed the administrative organization of the nation's capital territory.

The law holds historical significance as part of President Juscelino Kubitschek's legislative agenda during his ambitious development program, which included the construction of Brasília. The modification to Article 41 reflects the evolving administrative needs of the Federal District as Brazil prepared for one of the most significant infrastructure and political transformations in its history—the relocation of the federal capital to the interior of the country.

As a federal statute, this law exemplifies the formal legislative process in Brazil and represents the type of legal instrument through which the Brazilian government modifies existing administrative frameworks. Its classification as a public domain document under the edict of government doctrine ensures that citizens have unrestricted access to the legal rules that govern them.

## Notable For
- **Capital Transition Period:** Enacted during the administration of President Juscelino Kubitschek, who initiated the construction and 1960 inauguration of Brasília as the new federal capital
- **Amendment to Organic Law:** Modified the Organic Law of the Federal District (Law 217/1948), the foundational administrative document for Brazil's capital territory
- **Pre-Brasília Legislation:** Represents one of the final legislative modifications to Federal District governance before the capital moved from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília
- **Federal Legal Record:** Indexed in Brazil's LexML system with persistent identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-05-10;2777
- **Public Domain Status:** Like all statutes, in the public domain per the edict of government doctrine

## Body

### Legislative Classification and Type

Law No. 2777 of May 10, 1956 is classified as a **statute** (estatuto), which is a formal written document that creates law. In legal taxonomy, a statute is a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule," and serves as the concrete manifestation of statutory law. Statutes encompass acts passed by legislatures, executive orders, and by-laws, and are composed of legal norms.

This statute is part of the broader category of legal acts caused by legislation and follows the draft law process. As a federal Brazilian law, it applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil and was enacted through the formal legislative process of the Brazilian federal government.

### Amendment Provisions

The law's primary function was to **modify Article 41 of Law 217**, dated January 15, 1948. Law 217 was the **Organic Law of the Federal District** (Lei Orgânica do Distrito Federal), which established the administrative and governmental framework for Brazil's Federal District. The 1948 Organic Law defined the structure, powers, and operations of the district that housed Brazil's federal government.

The modification of Article 41 indicates a specific change to one provision within this broader organic law. The law digest notes the subjects of "change" (Alteração) and "correlation" (Correlação), suggesting the amendment both modified existing provisions and established connections to related legal frameworks.

### Presidential Approval and Promulgation

The statute was **approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil** under President **Juscelino Kubitschek**, who governed Brazil from January 31, 1956, to January 31, 1961. The law was promulgated on May 10, 1956, placing it among the early legislative actions of Kubitschek's administration.

Kubitschek's presidency is historically significant for the "Plano de Metas" (Targets Plan), an ambitious economic development program, and for the decision to build **Brasília** as Brazil's new capital. The city was inaugurated on April 22, 1960, making this 1956 law part of the legislative framework preceding and facilitating that historic transition.

### Publication and Geographic Context

The law was published in **Rio de Janeiro**, which served as Brazil's federal capital from 1763 until the inauguration of Brasília in 1960. Rio de Janeiro's status as the place of publication reflects the administrative reality of 1956, when all federal government operations were still centered in the coastal city.

The geographic and administrative context is significant because the law specifically addresses the **Federal District** (Distrito Federal). At the time of enactment, the Federal District referred to the city of Rio de Janeiro and its surrounding area. After the capital moved to Brasília, a new Federal District was created in the central plateau, while Rio de Janeiro became the state of Guanabara until 1975, when it merged with the former state of Rio de Janeiro.

### Language and Official Sources

The law is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil. It is officially available through the Brazilian government's digital portal at the Planalto Palace website (https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2777.htm), which maintains the official compilation of federal laws.

The law is indexed in Brazil's **LexML** system with the identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-05-10;2777`. LexML Brazil is the official system for identifying and referencing Brazilian legal documents using persistent uniform resource names.

### WikiProject and Knowledge Organization

Law No. 2777 is included in **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, a collaborative effort to document and structure information about Brazilian legislation in knowledge bases. The law has a structured entry with properties including its title, aliases, country, legal citation, publication details, and official URL.

The Wikidata description identifies it simply as "Brazilian law," reflecting its classification within knowledge graphs as a legal instrument of the Brazilian federal government. It is connected to related entities including the concept of "statute" (as its instance type) and Brazil (as its country and jurisdiction).

### Historical and Administrative Significance

The law operates within the context of Brazil's federal system and the administrative evolution of the Federal District. The 1948 Organic Law that this statute amended was itself an important framework document that predated Brazil's 1960 capital relocation. Modifications to the Organic Law during the late 1950s would have addressed administrative needs as Brazil prepared for the transition to Brasília.

The main subjects identified for this law—Federal District, Change, and Correlation—indicate its role in modifying administrative correlations within the district's governance structure. This type of amendment was typical of the legislative adjustments needed as Brazil modernized its administrative state during the mid-20th century development boom.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-05-10;2777)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=2777&ano=1956&data=10/05/1956&ato=b16QTTU50dNRVT805)
3. LexML Brasil