# Law No. 2778 of May 14, 1956

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105650549](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105650549)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-2778-of-may-14-1956

## Summary

Law No. 2778 of May 14, 1956 (Lei nº 2778/1956) is a Brazilian federal statute enacted by President Juscelino Kubitschek, establishing provisions related to special pensions and concessions. Published in Rio de Janeiro on May 14, 1956, this law is part of Brazil's federal legislative framework and falls under the jurisdiction of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The statute addresses specific legal matters concerning special pension benefits (Pensão Especial) and concessions (Concessão), representing a formal written document that creates law within the Brazilian legal system.

## Key Facts

- **Official Title:** Lei nº 2778, de 14 de maio de 1956
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 2778/1956
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Approval Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgated By:** President Juscelino Kubitschek
- **Publication Date:** May 14, 1956
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-05-14;2778
- **Main Subjects:** Pensão Especial (Special Pension) and Concessão (Concession)
- **Official Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2778.htm
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law
- **Wikimedia Project:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs

**What type of legal document is Law No. 2778 of May 14, 1956?**

Law No. 2778 is a federal statute—a formal written document that creates law. In Brazil, statutes are the physical or formal expression of legal rules enacted by the government. This law falls under the broader classification of "statute" and is equivalent to the schema.org/Legislation class used in structured web data.

**Who promulgated Law No. 2778/1956?**

The law was promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek, who served as President of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. Kubitschek approved this statute on May 14, 1956, through the official act of promulgation, which is the formal process by which a law is authorized and made effective.

**What subjects does Law No. 2778 regulate?**

The law addresses two primary legal concepts: Pensão Especial (Special Pension) and Concessão (Concession). These represent the main subjects or topics that the statute governs within Brazilian law, relating to special pension benefits and the granting of concessions respectively.

**Where can Law No. 2778/1956 be accessed?**

The full text of the law is available on the official website of the Brazilian Presidency at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2778.htm. This is the official government source for federal legislation.

**What is the legal status of Law No. 2778?**

As a Brazilian federal statute, Law No. 2778 is part of the official body of Brazilian law. It was published in Rio de Janeiro in 1956 and applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil. Like other Brazilian statutes, it is in the public domain, as official legal documents in Brazil are not subject to copyright restrictions.

## Why It Matters

Law No. 2778 of May 14, 1956 matters as a piece of Brazilian federal legislation enacted during a significant period in Brazil's development. Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek during his administration (1956-1961), this statute represents one of the formal legal instruments through which the Brazilian government exercised its legislative authority during the mid-20th century.

The law addresses important social and administrative matters through its provisions on special pensions (Pensão Especial) and concessions (Concessão). Special pension provisions are particularly significant in Brazilian law as they relate to benefits granted to specific categories of citizens, often including public servants, veterans, or individuals who have rendered service to the state. Concession provisions, meanwhile, relate to the granting of rights or privileges, typically involving public services, resources, or infrastructure.

As part of Brazil's statutory framework, Law No. 2778 contributes to the broader legal architecture that governs Brazilian society. The law remains part of Brazil's legislative history and continues to be referenced within the Brazilian legal system. Its inclusion in official databases such as LexML (the Brazilian legal documentation system) and its classification under WikiProject Brazilian Laws demonstrates its ongoing relevance for legal research, legislative history, and constitutional scholarship.

Furthermore, this statute exemplifies the formal legal process in Brazil, where laws are created through legislation, promulgated by the President, and formally published in official gazettes. The law's public domain status ensures that citizens, legal professionals, and researchers have unrestricted access to its text, supporting principles of transparency and the rule of law.

## Notable For

- **Presidential Enactment:** Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek, a significant figure in Brazilian political history who oversaw the construction of Brasília and promoted extensive economic development during his term.
- **Historical Significance:** Represents Brazilian federal legislation from the 1950s, a period of substantial political and economic transformation in Brazil.
- **Dual Subject Matter:** Addresses both special pension provisions and concession arrangements, demonstrating the breadth of regulatory matters handled by federal statutes.
- **Official Documentation:** Maintained in official government archives and accessible through the Brazilian Presidency's legislative database.
- **Legal Classification:** Classified as a statute, the foundational legal concept representing formal written documents that create law, encompassing acts, executive orders, and by-laws.
- **Public Accessibility:** Available in the public domain, ensuring unrestricted access for legal professionals, researchers, and citizens.

## Body

### Legislative Context and Enactment

Law No. 2778 of May 14, 1956 was enacted during the administration of President Juscelino Kubitschek, who served as the 21st President of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. Kubitschek's presidency was marked by significant economic development, industrialization, and the transfer of Brazil's capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília. The law was formally promulgated on May 14, 1956, representing an official act of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

The statute was published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as Brazil's capital at that time. The official publication in Rio de Janeiro reflects the standard practice for federal legislation during the period before the capital transfer to Brasília in 1960. The law received its official legal citation as Lei nº 2778/1956, following the standard Brazilian convention for referencing federal laws.

### Legal Classification and Characteristics

Law No. 2778 is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law. This classification places it within the broader category of legal instruments that include acts passed by legislatures, executive orders, and by-laws. In the Brazilian legal system, statutes represent the concrete manifestation of statutory law, serving as the official record of legal rules enacted by the government.

The law's classification as a statute aligns with the global understanding of such legal instruments. Internationally, statutes are recognized as foundational legal concepts, classified as both written works and rules. In semantic web applications, statutes are equivalent to the schema.org/Legislation class, facilitating structured data representation of legal documents in digital environments.

### Subject Matter and Legal Provisions

The statute addresses two primary legal concepts: Pensão Especial (Special Pension) and Concessão (Concession). These subjects represent the core legal matters governed by the law within the Brazilian legal framework.

Pensão Especial refers to special pension arrangements, which in Brazilian law typically encompass retirement benefits or financial support granted to specific categories of individuals. This may include public servants who have rendered service to the state, veterans, or other designated groups entitled to special pension provisions under Brazilian law.

Concessão relates to the legal concept of concession—the granting of rights, privileges, or permissions, typically involving public services, natural resources, or infrastructure. In Brazilian administrative law, concessions represent a mechanism through which the government authorizes private entities or individuals to provide public services or utilize public resources.

### Official Sources and Documentation

Law No. 2778 is documented in multiple official Brazilian legal databases and repositories. The primary official source for the law's text is the Brazilian Presidency's website, specifically at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l2778.htm. This URL provides access to the civil laws from 1950-1969, with Law No. 2778 being part of this collection.

The law is also indexed in LexML, the Brazilian legal documentation system, with the identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-05-14;2778. This systematic cataloging enables legal researchers, academics, and practitioners to locate and reference the statute within the broader body of Brazilian federal legislation.

The law's documentation includes metadata such as its official title (Lei nº 2778, de 14 de maio de 1956), publication date, place of publication, and the authority by which it was enacted. This comprehensive documentation supports legal research, legislative history analysis, and constitutional scholarship.

### Jurisdiction and Legal System

As a federal statute, Law No. 2778 applies to the jurisdiction of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The law was enacted under the authority of the Brazilian federal government and applies throughout Brazilian territory. Brazil operates as a federal republic with a presidential system, and federal statutes like Law No. 2778 represent the exercise of federal legislative power.

The law was enacted in Brazilian Portuguese, which is the official language of Brazil. The use of Brazilian Portuguese in official legislation reflects the country's linguistic identity and ensures clarity for legal interpretation and application within the Brazilian legal system.

### Historical Context

Law No. 2778 was enacted during a significant period in Brazilian history. The 1950s represented a time of substantial political, economic, and social transformation in Brazil. President Kubitschek's administration (1956-1961) pursued an ambitious development program focused on industrialization, infrastructure development, and national integration.

The law's enactment in 1956 occurred during this period of active federal governance and legislative activity. The statute represents one of many legal instruments developed during this era to address various social, administrative, and economic matters facing Brazil as it pursued modernization and development goals.

### Relationship to Broader Legal Framework

Law No. 2778 exists within the broader context of Brazilian statutory law. As a statute, it forms part of the hierarchical structure of Brazilian law, which includes the Constitution (Constituição), laws (leis), decrees (decretos), and other normative instruments. Federal statutes like Law No. 2778 are created through the legislative process and require presidential approval for enactment.

The law's classification as a statute connects it to the fundamental legal concept of statutory law—the body of law created through legislative enactment rather than judicial decisions or administrative regulations. This places Law No. 2778 within the tradition of written, codified legal rules that characterize civil law systems, particularly the Brazilian legal system which derives from Portuguese legal traditions.

### Accessibility and Legal Research

The statute's availability in the public domain reflects the general principle that official legal documents are not subject to copyright restrictions in Brazil. This ensures that citizens have access to the laws that govern them, supporting principles of transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. The law can be freely accessed, copied, and distributed for legal research, educational purposes, and professional use.

The inclusion of Law No. 2778 in WikiProject Brazilian Laws demonstrates its ongoing relevance for Wikipedia's coverage of Brazilian legislation. This Wikimedia project focuses on improving the quality and coverage of articles related to Brazilian laws on Wikipedia, ensuring accurate and accessible information about Brazil's legislative framework.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1956-05-14;2778)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=2778&ano=1956&data=14/05/1956&ato=2d3gXUU50dNRVT7a6)