# Law No. 3215 of July 19, 1957 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105649302](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649302) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3215-of-july-19-1957 ## Summary Law No. 3215 of July 19, 1957 is a Brazilian federal statute that created the municipality of Frederico Westphalen in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and established an educational institution within that new municipality. It was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil during the government of President Juscelino Kubitschek. ## Key Facts - **Official Title:** Lei nº 3215, de 19 de julho de 1957 - **Date of Promulgation:** July 19, 1957 - **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, under President Juscelino Kubitschek - **Legal Classification:** Instance of a "statute" (formal written document that creates law) - **Primary Subjects:** Creation of the municipality of Frederico Westphalen (RS) and the establishment of an educational institution ("Estabelecimento De Ensino") within it. - **Jurisdiction:** Applies to Brazil - **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese - **Standard Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3215/1957 - **Persistent Identifier:** LexML Brazil ID `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-07-19;3215` - **Official Text URL:** Available at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3215.htm` - **Documentation Status:** Listed on the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws. ## FAQs **What is the primary purpose of Law No. 3215/1957?** This law's core function is the creation of a new municipal entity. It formally established the municipality of Frederico Westphalen in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and concurrently mandated the creation of an educational institution within that municipality's territory. **Who was responsible for enacting this law?** The law was approved and promulgated by the executive branch of the Brazilian federal government, specifically by the Presidency of the Republic. The head of state and government at the time of its promulgation on July 19, 1957, was President Juscelino Kubitschek. **Where and in what language was this law officially published?** The law was officially published in the country's capital at the time, Rio de Janeiro. The text of the law and its official title are in Brazilian Portuguese, which is the official language of the jurisdiction it applies to. **How is this Brazilian law formally cited in legal contexts?** The standard legal citation for this statute is "Lei nº 3215/1957," which combines its sequential number (3215) with the year of its promulgation (1957). This format is consistent with common Brazilian legal citation practice for federal laws. **Is this law part of any organized documentation or wiki project?** Yes, this specific law is tracked and maintained as part of WikiProject Brazilian Laws, a collaborative effort on Wikimedia platforms to improve the documentation and categorization of Brazilian legislation. Its structured data is also available through Brazil's official LexML system. ## Why It Matters Law No. 3215/1957 is a foundational administrative act for a specific region of Brazil. Its significance lies in its direct role in shaping local governance and infrastructure. By creating the municipality of Frederico Westphalen, it established a new layer of local government, defining territorial boundaries, administrative autonomy, and civic identity for that area. The concurrent mandate to create an educational institution ("Estabelecimento De Ensino") tied the municipality's foundation to the development of human capital and public services, embedding education into its very legal foundation. This law represents a concrete application of federal authority to organize the national territory and promote regional development through the establishment of both civil administration and public institutions. It serves as a permanent, citable legal record of that specific act of creation, which continues to define the legal and administrative existence of Frederico Westphalen. ## Notable For * **Specific Territorial Creation:** It is notable for being the precise, singular federal legal act that brought the municipality of Frederico Westphalen, Rio Grande do Sul, into official existence. * **Dual-Purpose Mandate:** The law is distinguished by its linkage of two foundational acts—municipal creation and the establishment of an educational institution—within a single statutory instrument. * **Historical Context:** It is a product of the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek (1956-1961), a period marked by significant developmentalism and the construction of Brasília, reflecting an era of nation-building and regional integration. * **Documented in National Systems:** The law is formally registered in Brazil's official LexML system, ensuring its text and metadata are preserved in a standardized, machine-readable format for legal certainty and access. * **WikiProject Recognition:** Its inclusion on the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws highlights its relevance for crowdsourced documentation and verification within one of the world's largest collaborative knowledge bases. ## Body ### Legislative Origin and Authority This statute was enacted through the standard federal legislative process for ordinary laws in Brazil. The approving authority is recorded as the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The specific head of state who promulgated the law was **President Juscelino Kubitschek**. The act of promulgation, which brings the law into force, occurred on the **point_in_time** of **1957-07-19**. The law was officially **published** in the then-capital city, **Rio de Janeiro**. Its **language_of_work_or_name** is **Brazilian Portuguese**. ### Geographic and Jurisdictional Scope The **applies_to_jurisdiction** for this federal law is the entire country of **Brazil**. However, its substantive effect is geographically specific. One of its primary **main_subject** items is the state of **Rio Grande do Sul** (stated as "Estado Do Rio Grande Do Sul (Rs)"). Within that state, the law's most direct effect is on the locality of **Frederico Westphalen** (stated as "Frederico Westphalen (Rs)"), which it elevates to municipal status. ### Substantive Content and Main Subjects The law's core function is creation ("Criação"). This is explicitly stated in its metadata as a **main_subject** with the qualifier `stated_as: 'Criação'`. The creation pertains to two interconnected entities: 1. A **municipality** (stated as "Municipio"), specifically Frederico Westphalen in Rio Grande do Sul. 2. An **educational institution** (stated as "Estabelecimento De Ensino"), which the law mandates be created within the boundaries of the new municipality. These subjects are not separate but are intrinsically linked components of the law's single, unified purpose. ### Legal Citation, Identification, and Access The law has a formal **legal_citation_of_this_text** value of **"Lei nº 3215/1957"**. For persistent digital identification and retrieval within Brazil's legal information infrastructure, it is assigned the **lexml_brazil_id** **`urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-07-19;3215`**. The full, official text of the law is **work_available_at_url** at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3215.htm`, which is the official federal government portal for legislation. ### Classification and Project Documentation The law is taxonomically classified as an **instance_of** a **statute**. This aligns it with the broader category of formal written documents that create law. Within the ecosystem of collaborative knowledge projects, this specific law is recognized and tracked by being placed **on_focus_list_of_wikimedia_project: WikiProject Brazilian Laws**. This indicates it is a targeted article for improvement, sourcing, and maintenance within that specific WikiProject's scope. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-07-19;3215) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3215&ano=1957&data=19/07/1957&ato=b7ecXSE9UMNRVTe8c)