# Law No. 3718 of December 24, 1959

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648902](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648902)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3718-of-december-24-1959

## Summary
**Law No. 3718 of December 24, 1959** (Lei nº 3718, de 24 de dezembro de 1959) is a Brazilian federal statute that grants a lifetime monthly pension of Cr$ 3,000.00 to Professor Constantino Ribeiro Lima. Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek and published in Rio de Janeiro, it is a formal legal instrument classified as a statute under Brazilian law.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 3718, de 24 de dezembro de 1959
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3718/1959
- **Type:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (Federative Republic of Brazil)
- **Publication Date:** December 24, 1959
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgated By:** President Juscelino Kubitschek (via promulgation)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Primary Subject:** Grant/Concession (Concessão) — specifically a lifetime monthly pension
- **Beneficiary:** Professor Constantino Ribeiro Lima
- **Pension Amount:** Cr$ 3,000.00 (Cruzeiros) monthly, lifetime benefit
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3718
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3718.htm
- **Wikimedia Project:** Listed on WikiProject Brazilian Laws
- **Instance Classification:** Statute (subclass of written work, document, and rule)

## FAQs

**What is the purpose of Law No. 3718/1959?**
The law grants a lifetime monthly pension of Cr$ 3,000.00 to Professor Constantino Ribeiro Lima. The legal digest describes it as a "vitalícia" (lifetime) pension concession.

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

**Where was the law published and in what language?**
The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in Brazilian Portuguese. This was during the period when Rio de Janeiro served as Brazil's federal capital (before the transition to Brasília on April 22, 1960).

**Where can the full text of this law be accessed?**
The full text is available through the official Brazilian government portal at the Planalto website (https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3718.htm) and can be referenced via the LexML Brazil system using the URN identifier.

**What type of legal instrument is this?**
This is classified as a "statute" — a formal written document that creates law. Statutes are foundational legal concepts that serve as manifestations of statutory law and are considered subclasses of written works, documents, and rules.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3718 of December 24, 1959, represents a specific exercise of Brazilian federal legislative authority during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek. As a statute granting an individual pension benefit, it exemplifies the Brazilian government's use of formal legal instruments to provide for specific citizens through legislative action rather than administrative decree alone.

The law holds historical significance as it was enacted just months before Brazil's capital transitioned from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília in April 1960. It reflects the legal and administrative practices of late 1950s Brazil during a period of rapid modernization and development under Kubitschek's administration.

As a statute, this law carries the formal weight of statutory law — distinct from executive orders or by-laws — meaning it was processed through proper legislative channels and serves as an official record of a legal rule enacted by the Brazilian government. Its classification ensures it is preserved in legal databases such as LexML Brazil and tracked by initiatives like WikiProject Brazilian Laws for accessibility and historical documentation.

## Notable For
- **Individual Pension Grant:** Specifically names Professor Constantino Ribeiro Lima as the sole beneficiary of a lifetime monthly pension
- **Late Capital Period:** Enacted in Rio de Janeiro during the final months before Brazil's capital moved to Brasília
- **Kubitschek Era Legislation:** Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek, known for his "50 years in 5" modernization program
- **LexML Integration:** Assigned a formal URN identifier (urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3718) within Brazil's legal document standardization system
- **WikiProject Documentation:** Recognized within WikiProject Brazilian Laws for structured documentation and accessibility

## Body

### Legislative Identity and Classification

Law No. 3718 of December 24, 1959, is formally titled "Lei nº 3718, de 24 de dezembro de 1959" and carries the legal citation "Lei nº 3718/1959." It is classified as a **statute** — a formal written document that creates law. In legal taxonomy, a statute is defined as a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule," serving as the concrete manifestation of statutory law.

The law is an instance of the broader category of legal instruments encompassed by the term "statute," which includes acts passed by legislatures, executive orders, and by-laws. As a Brazilian federal law, it applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil and was created through the formal legislative process.

### Content and Beneficiary

The law's primary function is recorded in its digest: **"CONCEDE PENSÃO MENSAL VITALICIA DE CR 3.000,00 AO PROFESSOR CONSTANTINO RIBEIRO LIMA"** (Grants a lifetime monthly pension of Cr$ 3,000.00 to Professor Constantino Ribeiro Lima).

Key elements of the provision:
- **Beneficiary:** Professor Constantino Ribeiro Lima
- **Benefit Type:** Lifetime monthly pension (pensão mensal vitalícia)
- **Amount:** Cr$ 3,000.00 (Brazilian Cruzeiros)
- **Main Subject Classification:** Concession (Concessão) — identified as Q105737528 in the structured data

The currency referenced is the Cruzeiro (Cr$), which was Brazil's official currency at the time (the Cruzeiro was introduced in 1942 and remained in circulation until 1986).

### Executive Authorization and Promulgation

The law was approved by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil** and promulgated by **President Juscelino Kubitschek** on December 24, 1959. Kubitschek served as Brazil's 21st president from 1956 to 1961 and is historically recognized for his ambitious development programs, including the construction of Brasília.

The determination method for this law was "promulgation" — the formal act of proclaiming or declaring a law to be in effect. This represents the final step in the legislative process where the executive branch gives formal approval to legislation.

### Publication Details

The law was published on **December 24, 1959**, in **Rio de Janeiro**. This date and location are significant as Rio de Janeiro served as Brazil's federal capital until April 22, 1960, when the government relocated to the newly constructed capital of Brasília. Law No. 3718 thus represents one of the final pieces of legislation published in Rio de Janeiro during its tenure as the national capital.

### Legal Identifiers and Access

The law is indexed and accessible through multiple official channels:

- **LexML Brazil URN:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3718`
  - LexML Brazil is a standard for identifying and exchanging legal documents in Brazil
  
- **Official Web Access:** 
  - Primary: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3718.htm
  - Legislative Portal: https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3718&ano=1959&data=24/12/1959&ato=926QTTE9UMRRVTcdc
  - LexML Portal: https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3718

### Language and Jurisdiction

The law was written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil. It applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil as a federal statute, meaning it has legal force throughout the entire national territory.

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil), is the largest country in South America. At the time of this law's enactment, Brazil was operating under the constitutional framework that preceded the current 1988 Constitution.

### Structured Data and Knowledge Organization

Law No. 3718/1959 is included in **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, a Wikimedia initiative focused on documenting and structuring information about Brazilian legislation. The law's structured properties include:

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Title | Lei nº 3718, de 24 de dezembro de 1959 |
| Country | Brazil |
| Instance Of | Statute |
| Language | Brazilian Portuguese |
| Publication Date | 1959-12-24 |
| Place of Publication | Rio de Janeiro |
| Approved By | Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil |
| Promulgated By | Juscelino Kubitschek |
| Applies to Jurisdiction | Brazil |
| Legal Citation | Lei nº 3718/1959 |
| LexML Brazil ID | urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3718 |
| Main Subject | Q105737528 (Concession) |

### Historical Context: Statutes in Brazilian Law

As a statute, Law No. 3718/1959 belongs to a category of legal instruments that represent the formal, written expression of statutory law. Statutes in the Brazilian legal system:

- Are formal written documents that create law
- Function as the official record of legal rules enacted by the government
- Are preceded by draft laws in the legislative process
- Result in statutory law upon enactment
- Are generally in the public domain as official legal documents

The concept of "statute" as a legal classification encompasses acts (laws passed by a legislature), executive orders, and by-laws. It is distinct from broader concepts of "law" or "legislation" in that it specifically refers to the written document itself.

### Related Entities

**Brazil (Jurisdiction)**
- The law applies to Brazil, a federal republic in South America
- At the time of enactment, Brazil was under the presidential leadership of Juscelino Kubitschek
- The country's capital was Rio de Janeiro (transitioning to Brasília in 1960)
- Portuguese is the official language

**Statute (Classification)**
- The law is classified as an instance of "statute"
- Statutes are formal written documents that create law
- They serve as manifestations of statutory law
- They are composed of legal norms and are caused by legislation

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3718)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3718&ano=1959&data=24/12/1959&ato=926QTTE9UMRRVTcdc)
3. LexML Brasil