# Law No. 3712 of December 24, 1959

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648890](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648890)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3712-of-december-24-1959

## Summary
**Law No. 3712 of December 24, 1959** (Portuguese: *Lei nº 3712, de 24 de dezembro de 1959*) is a Brazilian statute that grants a special monthly pension to a named individual. Enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Juscelino Kubitschek, the law authorizes the payment of Cr 3,000.00 per month to Lydia Heidtmann Gomes, the widow of machinist Francisco de Souza Gomes. As a formal legal document, it is classified as a written statute applicable to the jurisdiction of Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3712, de 24 de dezembro de 1959
- **Type of Entity:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Date of Promulgation:** December 24, 1959
- **Approving Authority:** Juscelino Kubitschek, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro (Federal Capital at the time)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3712/1959
- **Primary Subject:** Special Pension (*Pensão Especial*)
- **Beneficiary:** Lydia Heidtmann Gomes
- **Connection:** Widow of Francisco de Souza Gomes (Machinist)
- **Pension Amount:** Cr 3,000.00 monthly
- **Unique Identifier:** LexML Brazil ID `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3712`
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3712.htm
- **Project Classification:** On the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What is the specific purpose of Law No. 3712/1959?**
The law grants a special pension (*concessão de pensão especial*) of Cr 3,000.00 per month to Lydia Heidtmann Gomes. She is identified in the legal digest as the widow of Francisco de Souza Gomes, a machinist.

**Who signed and enacted this law?**
The statute was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. It was promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek on December 24, 1959.

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

**How is this law classified legally?**
It is classified as a "statute," which is a formal written document that creates law. It functions as a manifestation of statutory law and serves as the official record of a legal rule enacted by the Brazilian government.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3712 of December 24, 1959, serves as a concrete example of the "statute" as an instrument of governance in Brazil during the late 1950s. It illustrates the specific use of federal legislative power to administer individualized financial grants—in this case, a pension for the widow of a railway worker ("machinist"). This enactment occurred during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek, a period marked by rapid modernization and the construction of Brasília, yet this law reflects the routine administrative function of the state based in Rio de Janeiro. As a statute, it embodies the concept of statutory law: a tangible, written rule that is part of the public domain, accessible to citizens, and enforceable within the national jurisdiction.

## Notable For
- **Specific Individual Benefit:** Unlike broad regulatory laws, this statute targets a specific beneficiary, Lydia Heidtmann Gomes, granting her a precise sum of Cr 3,000.00 monthly.
- **Historical Context of Capital:** The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, distinguishing it as a legal product of the former federal capital just months before the inauguration of Brasília on April 22, 1960.
- **Kubitschek Era:** It is a legislative artifact from the term of President Juscelino Kubitschek (1955–1961), a pivotal figure in Brazilian history.
- **Statutory Nature:** It exemplifies the definition of a statute as a "manifestation of statutory law"—a formal document creating a legal norm (the pension) resulting from the legislative process.

## Body

### Legal Classification and Definition
Law No. 3712 is an instance of a **statute**. As defined by legal concepts, a statute is a formal written document intended to create law; it acts as a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." This law functions as a manifestation of statutory law within the Federative Republic of Brazil. Structurally, it contains "legal norms" (specifically, the authorization of payment) and results from the legislative capacity of the state. As an official government edict, the text falls within the public domain, a standard status for statutes which ensures public accessibility to legal mandates.

### Content and Provisions
The primary substance of Law No. 3712/1959 is defined in its digest: "CONCEDE A PENSÃO ESPECIAL DE CR 3.000,00 MENSAIS A LYDIA HEIDTMANN GOMES, VIUVA DO MAQUINISTA FRANCISCO DE SOUZA GOMES." The legal text mandates:
- **Action:** The granting (*concessão*) of a special pension.
- **Recipient:** Lydia Heidtmann Gomes.
- **Association:** The beneficiary is the widow of Francisco de Souza Gomes, identified as a machinist (*maquinista*).
- **Value:** The pension is set at Cr 3,000.00 (Cruzeiros) per month.

### Enactment and Authority
The statute was officially promulgated on **December 24, 1959**. The authority behind the law is the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. Specifically, it was enacted during the administration of **Juscelino Kubitschek**, who served as President from 1956 to 1961. The determination method is listed as "promulgation," signifying the formal proclamation of the law.

### Geopolitical and Historical Context
The law applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil**. At the time of its publication (December 1959), the federal capital was located in **Rio de Janeiro**. This context places the law just prior to a major shift in Brazilian administrative history, as the capital was moved to Brasília on April 22, 1960, only four months later. The currency cited, "Cr" (Cruzeiro), corresponds to the monetary system in use during that era (the Cruzeiro was introduced in 1942 and existed in various forms until 1986).

### Identification and Access
The law is indexed and accessible through several formal identifiers:
- **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3712`
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3712/1959
- **Digital Access:** The full text is available at the official Planalto Palace archives: `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3712.htm`.

### Structured Data Properties
In knowledge management systems, this entity is associated with specific properties:
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Instance Of:** Statute
- **Main Subject:** Special Pension (*Pensão Especial*) and Granting (*Concessão*)
- **WikiProject:** It is currently on the focus list of "WikiProject Brazilian Laws," indicating active curation of this legal topic.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3712)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3712&ano=1959&data=24/12/1959&ato=9a8ITSE9UMRRVTf42)
3. LexML Brasil