# Law No. 3616 of August 20, 1959 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105648648](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648648) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3616-of-august-20-1959 ## Summary Law No. 3616 of August 20, 1959 is a Brazilian federal statute that authorizes a gift (doação) of land (terreno) from the Federal Government of Brazil to the Municipal Prefecture of Cuiabá, located in the state of Mato Grosso. It was promulgated during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek. ## Key Facts * **Official Title:** Lei nº 3616, de 20 de agosto de 1959 * **Publication Date:** August 20, 1959 * **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro (the capital at the time) * **Jurisdiction:** Brazil * **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese * **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3616/1959 * **Instance Of:** Statute (a formal written document that creates law) * **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, under President Juscelino Kubitschek, via promulgation. * **Main Subjects:** The law directly concerns the Federal Government of Brazil (União Federal), the city of Cuiabá (Cuiabá (Mt)), the state of Mato Grosso (Estado De Mato Grosso (Mt)), the municipal prefecture (Prefeitura Municipal), the act of a gift (Doação), the municipality (Municipio), and a specific plot of land (Terreno). * **Access URL:** The full text is available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3616.htm * **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-08-20;3616 * **Wikimedia Project:** It is on the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws. ## FAQs **What is the core purpose of Law No. 3616/1959?** The law's primary purpose is to authorize the federal government to donate a specific plot of land (terreno) to the municipal prefecture (Prefeitura Municipal) of Cuiabá, Mato Grosso. It formalizes the transfer of ownership of this terrain from the Union to the municipality. **Who enacted Law No. 3616/1959 and when?** The law was enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated on August 20, 1959, during the administration of President Juscelino Kubitschek. **To which geographic entities does this law apply?** The law applies to the national jurisdiction of Brazil and specifically concerns the municipality of Cuiabá, which is the capital of the state of Mato Grosso. **What type of legal instrument is Law No. 3616/1959?** It is classified as a statute, meaning it is a formal written document enacted by the federal government that creates a specific legal rule—in this case, regarding the disposition of federal property. **Where can the official text of this law be found?** The official text is published on the Brazilian federal government's legislative portal (Planalto) and is accessible online via the provided URL. It is also cataloged in the national LexML Brazil system with the identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-08-20;3616`. ## Why It Matters Law No. 3616/1959 is a concrete example of federal administrative law in action, illustrating the mechanism by which the Brazilian federal government (União) transfers ownership of public assets (terreno) to subnational entities like municipalities. Such laws are fundamental to defining property rights, enabling local urban development, and clarifying the administrative boundaries and assets between different levels of government. Its specific focus on Cuiabá, the capital of Mato Grosso, ties it to the regional administrative and urban planning history of that state. As a documented statute from the Kubitschek era (1956-1961), it exists within a period of significant national development and capital relocation (Brasília), providing a granular view of federal-municipal relations during that time. ## Notable For * **Specific Asset Transfer:** It is notable for its precise and narrow subject: the donation of a single, specific plot of land (terreno) to a single municipal prefecture. * **Federal-Municipal Relations:** It serves as a clear instance of a federal statute directly mediating a property transaction between the Union and a municipality. * **Historical Context:** It originates from the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek, a pivotal era in modern Brazilian history marked by the construction of Brasília and a push for national development. * **Geographic Specificity:** It is uniquely tied to Cuiabá, the capital of Mato Grosso, distinguishing it from laws concerning other municipalities or states. * **Legal Form:** It is a classic example of a "statute" as defined in legal knowledge systems—a formal written act of the legislature/executive creating a specific legal norm. ## Body ### Legal Classification and Identity Law No. 3616 of August 20, 1959 is formally classified as a **statute**. In legal and knowledge organization systems, a statute is defined as a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts, executive orders, and by-laws. This law is a specific instance of that class. Its official legal citation is **Lei nº 3616/1959**. It was promulgated in **Rio de Janeiro**, which was the capital of Brazil at the time of its publication on **August 20, 1959**. The law's text is written in **Brazilian Portuguese** and is part of the public legislative record. ### Enacting Authority and Historical Context The law was approved and promulgated by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The head of state and government at the time of its enactment was **President Juscelino Kubitschek**. His presidency (1956-1961) is historically significant for the ambitious "50 Years in 5" development plan and the construction and inauguration of the new federal capital, Brasília, in 1960. This law is a product of that administrative period. ### Geographic and Administrative Scope The law's effect is geographically and administratively focused. Its **applies_to_jurisdiction** is the country of **Brazil**. Its **main_subject** is a set of interconnected entities: * The **Federal Government of Brazil** (União Federal), as the grantor of the gift. * The **state of Mato Grosso** (Estado De Mato Grosso (Mt)). * The **municipality** (Municipio) of **Cuiabá** (Cuiabá (Mt)), which is the state capital. * The **municipal prefecture** (Prefeitura Municipal) of Cuiabá, as the recipient institution. * The specific **plot of land** (Terreno) that is the object of the gift (Doação). This structure shows a federal law facilitating a direct transfer of a federal asset to a local government entity within a specific state. ### Content and Subject Matter The substantive content of the law, as inferred from its structured subject tags, is the authorization of a **gift** (Doação). The asset being gifted is a **terreno** (plot of land, terrain). The recipient is the **Prefeitura Municipal** (municipal prefecture) of **Cuiabá**. The grantor is the **União Federal** (Federal Government). Therefore, the law's core function is to legally effect the transfer of ownership of a specific federal property to the municipal government of Cuiabá. ### Access and Documentation The law is digitally preserved and accessible through official Brazilian government channels. Its permanent identifier in the national **LexML Brazil** system is `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-08-20;3616`. The full text can be retrieved from the official legislative portal of the Presidency of the Republic at the URL: `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3616.htm`. This ensures the statute is part of the authoritative, publicly accessible record of Brazilian federal legislation. ### Knowledge Organization Context Within collaborative knowledge projects, this specific law is recognized and curated. It is listed on the **focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws** on Wikimedia platforms, indicating it is a targeted article for improvement and verification within that specialized project. This highlights its relevance for comprehensive documentation of the Brazilian legal corpus. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-08-20;3616) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3616&ano=1959&data=20/08/1959&ato=161oXTq5UMRRVT68f)