# Law No. 3602 of August 8, 1959

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648607](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648607)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3602-of-august-8-1959

## Summary
**Law No. 3602 of August 8, 1959** (Portuguese: *Lei nº 3602, de 8 de agosto de 1959*) is a Brazilian statute that authorizes a special budgetary adjustment (*Crédito Especial*) for the Ministry of Transport. Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek and published in Rio de Janeiro, it serves as a formal legal instrument of the Federative Republic of Brazil. As a statute, it constitutes a written manifestation of statutory law, distinct from executive orders or by-laws, and is classified as public domain information under government edict doctrine.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3602, de 8 de agosto de 1959
- **Legal Classification:** Instance of a **statute** (formal written document creating law).
- **Date of Promulgation:** August 8, 1959.
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
- **Signatory:** Juscelino Kubitschek (President at the time).
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil.
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro (Federal Capital at the time).
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Main Subject:** Ministry of Transport of Brazil (referenced as *Ministerio Da Viação E Obras Publicas*).
- **Budgetary Action:** Special budgetary adjustment (*Crédito Especial*).
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3602/1959.
- **Lexml Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-08-08;3602`.
- **Official URL:** Available at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3602.htm`.
- **Wikimedia Status:** On the focus list of **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**.

## FAQs
**What is the legal function of Law No. 3602/1959?**
The law functions as a statutory instrument to authorize a "special budgetary adjustment" (*Crédito Especial*). In the Brazilian legal system, this specific type of statute is used to allocate funds outside the standard annual budget law to address specific needs, in this case, for the Ministry of Transport.

**Who approved and enacted this law?**
The statute was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. It was specifically promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek on August 8, 1959.

**Where was the law published and in what language?**
The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as the federal capital of Brazil at that time (prior to the move to Brasília in 1960). The text is written in Brazilian Portuguese.

**Is the text of Law No. 3602/1959 copyrighted?**
No. As a statute and official "edict of government," it is in the public domain in the United States and generally in Brazil. Legal rules and government enactments are not subject to copyright restrictions, ensuring public access to the law.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3602 of August 8, 1959, represents a specific exercise of legislative authority by the Brazilian federal government during the administration of Juscelino Kubitschek. It matters as a concrete example of how the Brazilian state manages public resources through "special credits" rather than standard budgetary procedures. By targeting the Ministry of Transport (then known as the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works), the law reflects the infrastructure priorities of the late 1950s, a period characterized by rapid development and construction projects (such as the building of Brasília) that required agile financial provisioning through statutory means.

As a legal artifact, it illustrates the concept of a **statute** in practice: a formal, written document that creates binding law. Unlike administrative rulings or informal directives, this law serves as a permanent part of Brazil's statutory history, cataloged in official systems like Lexml and preserved by the official archives of the Presidency. Its existence on the WikiProject Brazilian Laws focus list further highlights its relevance to legal documentation and open knowledge initiatives.

## Notable For
- **Specific Budgetary Mechanism:** Notable for utilizing a "Special Budgetary Adjustment" (*Crédito Especial*), a distinct financial mechanism requiring statutory approval rather than simple administrative decree.
- **Historical Context:** Created during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek, a pivotal era in Brazilian economic and infrastructure development.
- **Capital Context:** Published in Rio de Janeiro, marking it as a product of the Republic of Brazil prior to the inauguration of Brasília (April 1960).
- **Digital Preservation:** Fully digitized and available via the official Planalto Palace portal and identified by the structured Lexml URN standard.
- **Statutory Classification:** Serves as a clear example of a "statute" (subclass of written work and rule), distinct from "draft laws" or "legal norms" in legal ontology.

## Body

### Definition and Classification
Law No. 3602 of August 8, 1959, is defined as a **statute** (Portuguese: *Lei*). In legal ontology, a statute is a formal written document that creates law, acting as a manifestation of statutory law. It is classified as a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule."

Unlike "legal norms" or "draft laws," a statute is the final, enacted product of legislation. As an "edict of government," it is distinct from judicial opinions or administrative rulings. It is equivalent to the `https://schema.org/Legislation` class used in structured data. The text is formally recognized as a "legal term or legal concept" and serves as a definitive reference for the specific budgetary rules it contains.

### Legislative Content and Subjects
The primary function of this statute was to authorize a **special budgetary adjustment** (specifically cited as *Credito Especial*). This financial provision was directed toward the **Ministry of Transport of Brazil**.

The text refers to the ministry by its historical designation, *Ministerio Da Viação E Obras Publicas* (Ministry of Transportation and Public Works). The creation of a "special credit" indicates that the law was passed to cover expenses not foreseen in the annual budget or to supplement specific allocations, requiring specific legislative sanction to execute.

### Promulgation and Authority
The law was enacted on **August 8, 1959**, by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The determination method was "promulgation," and the head of state responsible was **Juscelino Kubitschek**.

Kubitschek served as President from 1956 to 1961. The year 1959 falls within his "Target Plan" (*Plano de Metas*) era, a time of significant federal investment in infrastructure and transportation networks, which aligns with the law's focus on the Ministry of Transport.

### Jurisdiction and Publication
The statute applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil**. At the time of its creation, the official language was **Brazilian Portuguese**, and the seat of the federal government was in **Rio de Janeiro**.

This law was published in Rio de Janeiro, the federal capital, on August 8, 1959. This date places the law in the final months of Rio de Janeiro's status as the capital city, before the inauguration of Brasília on April 22, 1960. The country of origin, Brazil, is the largest nation in South America and operates as a federal republic.

### Digital Identifiers and Archives
In modern legal databases, Law No. 3602 is identified and indexed through several official and structured identifiers:
- **Lexml URN:** The unique resource name is `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-08-08;3602`.
- **Official Web Address:** The full text is hosted by the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3602.htm`.
- **WikiProject Status:** It is listed on the "on focus list" for **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its inclusion in organized efforts to catalog Brazilian legislation on open knowledge platforms.

### Copyright Status
Consistent with the "edict of government doctrine," Law No. 3602 is in the **public domain**. In the United States and generally within Brazil, official legal documents such as statutes, judicial opinions, and legislative enactments are not copyrightable. This ensures that the "legal norms" contained within the document are freely owned by the public and accessible without restriction, reinforcing the principle that citizens must have unencumbered access to the laws they must follow.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-08-08;3602)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3602&ano=1959&data=08/08/1959&ato=b1eETQq5UMRRVT755)