# Law No. 3439 of August 21, 1958

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649281](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649281)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3439-of-august-21-1958

## Summary
Law No. 3439 of August 21, 1958 (Lei nº 3439, de 21 de agosto de 1958) is a Brazilian federal statute promulgated during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek. Officially published on August 21, 1958, in Rio de Janeiro, the law addresses matters related to participation in decisions and public service. It is a formal written document that creates law within the Federative Republic of Brazil and is legally cited as Lei nº 3439/1958.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3439, de 21 de agosto de 1958
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3439/1958
- **Instance of:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgated By:** Juscelino Kubitschek (President of Brazil)
- **Publication Date:** August 21, 1958
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1958-08-21;3439
- **Applies to Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Main Subjects:** Participation (in decisions) and Public Service
- **Available at:** https://legis.senado.leg.br/norma/?numero=3439&tipo_norma=lei&data=19580821&link=s
- **Wikimedia Project:** On focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What is the legal nature of Law No. 3439 of August 21, 1958?**
This law is classified as a statute, which is a formal written document that creates law. As a statute, it serves as a manifestation of statutory law and functions as an official legal rule enacted by the Brazilian government.

**Who authorized and promulgated Law No. 3439 of August 21, 1958?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and was specifically promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek on August 21, 1958.

**What topics does Law No. 3439 of August 21, 1958 address?**
The statute's main subjects are participation in decisions (Participação) and public service (Serviço Publico). These are the primary themes addressed by the legal provisions within the document.

**Where was Law No. 3439 of August 21, 1958 published and in what language?**
The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which was a significant administrative center in Brazil at the time. It was written and published in Brazilian Portuguese.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3439 of August 21, 1958 matters as an example of Brazilian statutory law enacted during a pivotal period in the country's development. Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek—known for his ambitious modernization programs and the construction of Brasília—this statute reflects the legal frameworks being established to govern public administration and civic engagement in mid-20th century Brazil.

As a formal written document that creates law, this statute serves as the concrete manifestation of statutory law, providing the definitive reference point for the legal rules it contains. Its focus on "participation in decisions" and "public service" indicates its role in structuring how citizens interact with government services and decision-making processes, a foundational aspect of democratic governance.

The law also matters within the broader context of legal accessibility and documentation. Its inclusion in the LexML Brazil system (with the identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1958-08-21;3439`) and its availability through official government portals ensures that this piece of legislation remains accessible to citizens, legal professionals, and researchers. This accessibility aligns with the principle that statutes, as public domain documents, should be freely available to those they govern.

## Notable For
- **Historical Context:** Enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek, one of Brazil's most significant 20th-century leaders known for rapid industrialization and the building of Brasília
- **Publication Location:** Published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as Brazil's capital until 1960 (just two years after this law's enactment)
- **Digital Accessibility:** Assigned a LexML Brazil identifier (urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1958-08-21;3439), making it part of Brazil's official legal documentation system
- **WikiProject Inclusion:** Listed on the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating its relevance for systematic documentation and study
- **Dual Subject Focus:** Addresses both participatory governance (Participação) and public service administration, reflecting evolving approaches to citizen-government relations in 1950s Brazil
- **Pre-Brasília Era:** Represents one of the final laws published before Brazil's capital transitioned from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília in April 1960

## Body

### Classification and Legal Definition

Law No. 3439 of August 21, 1958 is classified as a **statute**, which is a formal written document that creates law. Within legal taxonomy, a statute is recognized as a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." It is distinct from broader concepts such as "legislation" or "legal act" in knowledge systems, representing the physical or formal expression of a legal rule rather than the abstract concept of law itself.

As a statute, this law serves as a manifestation of statutory law and is composed of legal norms. It was created through the process of legislation and represents the official record of a legal rule enacted by the Brazilian federal government. The statute functions as a concrete reference point for the legal provisions it contains, ensuring that the mandates within it are documented, accessible, and enforceable.

### Promulgation and Authorization

The law was **approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil** and was specifically **promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek** on August 21, 1958. The determination method was promulgation, indicating the formal act by which the law was officially enacted and given legal force.

Juscelino Kubitschek served as President of Brazil from 1956 to 1961, a period marked by significant national development initiatives. His presidency is historically noted for the "Target Plan" (Plano de Metas) and the construction of Brasília as the new federal capital. Law No. 3439 was enacted during this transformative period in Brazilian history.

### Publication and Official Record

The statute was **published on August 21, 1958**, with **Rio de Janeiro** listed as the place of publication. This date represents when the law was officially made public and entered into force. Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil at this time, serving as the primary administrative and governmental center.

The publication in Rio de Janeiro places this law among the final statutes published in the former capital before Brazil's administrative transition to Brasília, which occurred on April 22, 1960—less than two years after this law's enactment.

### Subject Matter and Scope

The statute addresses two primary subjects:

1. **Participation in Decisions (Participação):** This theme relates to involvement in decision-making processes, likely concerning how individuals or entities engage with governmental or administrative determinations.

2. **Public Service (Serviço Publico):** This subject pertains to services provided by the government to the public, encompassing the administration, regulation, and delivery of governmental services to citizens.

These subjects are formally documented with the stated terms "Participação" and "Serviço Publico" in the law's metadata, indicating their centrality to the statute's purpose and provisions.

### Jurisdiction and Applicability

The law **applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil**, establishing its geographic and legal reach across the entire Federative Republic of Brazil. As a federal statute, it carries authority throughout all Brazilian states and territories, forming part of the national legal framework.

The statute was written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil, ensuring accessibility to the Portuguese-speaking population of the country.

### Legal Identification and Citations

The statute is identified through multiple official designations:

- **Full Title:** Lei nº 3439, de 21 de agosto de 1958
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3439/1958
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1958-08-21;3439

The LexML Brazil identifier is particularly significant as it provides a standardized, machine-readable identifier for the law within Brazil's official legal documentation system. This URN (Uniform Resource Name) follows a structured format indicating:
- The jurisdiction (br for Brazil)
- The level of government (federal)
- The type of instrument (lei, meaning law)
- The date (1958-08-21)
- The number (3439)

### Digital Accessibility

The full text of the law is **available online at the official Senate legislation portal**: https://legis.senado.leg.br/norma/?numero=3439&tipo_norma=lei&data=19580821&link=s

This digital availability ensures that the law remains accessible to legal professionals, researchers, and citizens. The preservation and publication of this statute online reflects broader efforts to maintain transparency and accessibility in legal documentation.

### WikiProject Classification

The law is included on the **focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its selection for systematic documentation and study within collaborative knowledge-building initiatives. This classification suggests that the law is considered significant enough to warrant dedicated attention in the organization and curation of legal information.

### Context Within Brazilian Legal History

This statute exists within the broader context of Brazilian statutory law, which encompasses acts, executive orders, and by-laws as formal written documents that create law. As a statute from 1958, it was enacted during a period of significant change in Brazil:

- The country was operating under the 1946 Constitution (which remained in effect until 1967)
- President Kubitschek was implementing his modernization agenda
- Brazil was preparing for the relocation of its federal capital to Brasília
- The nation was experiencing rapid industrialization and economic development

The law's focus on public service and participation in decisions reflects themes relevant to this era of governmental expansion and modernization, when the structure and delivery of public services were evolving to meet the needs of a developing nation.

### Related Entities and Connections

The statute maintains documented relationships with several key entities:

**Geographic Entity:**
- **Brazil:** The country of origin and jurisdiction for the law. Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America and was operating as a federal republic at the time of the law's enactment. The country declared independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822, and by 1958 had been an independent nation for nearly 136 years.

**Legal Concept:**
- **Statute:** The classification type for this law. A statute is defined as a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts, executive orders, and by-laws. Statutes are considered public domain documents in many jurisdictions, including the United States and France, ensuring public accessibility to legal texts.

**Governmental Authority:**
- **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil:** The approving authority for the law
- **Juscelino Kubitschek:** The specific president who promulgated the law

These connections situate Law No. 3439 within a network of legal, governmental, and geographic relationships that define its authority, applicability, and historical significance.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1958-08-21;3439)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3439&ano=1958&data=21/08/1958&ato=e27QTSE90dRRVT193)