# Law No. 3724 of December 24, 1959

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648656](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648656)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3724-of-december-24-1959

## Summary
Law No. 3724 of December 24, 1959 (Lei nº 3724/1959) is a Brazilian statute enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek. As a formal legal instrument, it addresses matters related to the federal budget, the financial fiscal year, and the rectification of accounts for the Federal Government of Brazil (União Federal).

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3724, de 24 de dezembro de 1959
- **Classification:** Instance of a Statute (formal written document creating law)
- **Enactment Date:** December 24, 1959
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgated By:** Juscelino Kubitschek (President)
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro (then federal capital)
- **Main Subjects:** Budget (Orçamento), Fiscal Year (Exercicio Financeiro), Federal Government of Brazil (União Federal), Rectification (Retificação)
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3724/1959
- **Identifier:** LexML Brazil ID `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3724`
- **Source URL:** Available at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3724.htm`

## FAQs
**What is the legal classification of Law No. 3724/1959?**
It is classified as a statute, which is a formal written document that creates law. In the context of legal ontology, it serves as a manifestation of statutory law and contains legal norms applicable to the jurisdiction of Brazil.

**Who signed and approved 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.

**What topics does Law No. 3724/1959 cover?**
The statute primarily addresses administrative and financial subjects. Its stated main subjects are the budget, the financial fiscal year, the Federal Government of Brazil (União Federal), and rectification processes.

**Where was the law originally published?**
While the jurisdiction is Brazil, the specific place of publication recorded for this statute is Rio de Janeiro, which served as the federal capital until the inauguration of Brasília in April 1960.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3724 of December 24, 1959, represents a specific exercise of legislative power during a pivotal era in Brazilian history. Enacted in the final months of the Kubitschek administration, it reflects the governmental focus on budgetary management and financial rectification necessary to support Brazil's rapid industrialization and development goals of the late 1950s.

As a statute, it embodies the core legal concept of a "formal written document" that creates binding rules. It serves as a historical artifact of Brazilian statutory law, demonstrating the mechanics of how the federal government managed its financial obligations and fiscal years. Furthermore, its status as a public domain document ensures that the legal history of this period remains accessible to the public, researchers, and legal professionals without copyright restriction.

## Notable For
- **Historical Context:** Enacted on Christmas Eve, 1959, just months before the capital of Brazil moved from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília.
- **Executive Action:** A product of the Juscelino Kubitschek presidency, a period noted for its "50 years of progress in 5" platform.
- **Legal Structure:** Serves as a concrete example of a "statute" within the Brazilian legal system, functioning as the official record of a legal rule enacted by the government.
- **Subject Matter:** Specifically notable for its focus on "rectification" (Retificação) concerning the federal budget, indicating an adjustment or correction to previous financial legislation.
- **Digital Accessibility:** Cataloged under the LexML system with the identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3724`, facilitating structured legal data retrieval.

## Body

### Legislative Definition and Classification
Law No. 3724/1959 is technically classified as a **statute**. In legal theory, a statute is defined as a formal written document that creates law, distinguishing it from general concepts of "law" or abstract "legislation." As a statute, this document acts as a physical or formal expression of a legal rule. It is composed of "legal norms" and is considered a subclass of "written work" and "document."

This classification places the law within the scope of **statutory law**, implying that it followed a specific legislative creation process preceded by draft laws. As an official edict of the government, the text of Law No. 3724/1959 is generally considered to be in the **public domain**. Under the "edict of government doctrine" (and similar principles applied in Brazil and France), official legal documents are not subject to copyright, ensuring public access to the laws that govern them.

### Political and Historical Context
The law was signed and promulgated on **December 24, 1959**, by **Juscelino Kubitschek**, the President of Brazil at the time. The approval came from the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**.

The statute's place of publication is listed as **Rio de Janeiro**. This is historically significant as 1959 was the final full year Rio de Janeiro served as the federal capital; the capital was officially transferred to Brasília on April 21, 1960, less than four months after this law was enacted. Consequently, this law represents one of the final legislative acts processed through the administrative machinery based in the former capital.

### Scope and Subject Matter
According to its structured data properties, Law No. 3724/1959 has four primary stated subjects:
1.  **Budget (Orçamento):** The law deals with the financial plan of the federal government.
2.  **Fiscal Year (Exercicio Financeiro):** It pertains to the specific period for which the budget is applicable.
3.  **Federal Government of Brazil (União Federal):** The entity to which the budget and fiscal regulations apply.
4.  **Rectification (Retificação):** The inclusion of this term suggests the law was enacted to correct, amend, or validate previous budgetary data or legislation.

This combination of subjects indicates the law likely functioned as an adjusting measure to ensure the accuracy of the federal government's financial standing for that fiscal period.

### Identification and Access
The law is uniquely identified within the Brazilian legal information system by the **LexML Brazil ID**: `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3724`. This identifier allows for the standardized retrieval of the legal text across different databases.

The official text is accessible to the public via the **Planalto Palace** website (`https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3724.htm`), which serves as the digital repository for Brazilian federal legislation. The document is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the jurisdiction.

### Jurisdiction and Governance
The law applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil**. Brazil functions as a federal republic with a presidential system. In 1959, the country was operating under the democratic framework established prior to the 1964 coup. The creation of this statute was a result of the country's legislative processes, exercising the authority of the **Federal Government of Brazil** over financial and administrative matters. It is listed as being on the focus list of **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, highlighting its relevance to legal documentation and historical record-iving.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3724)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3724&ano=1959&data=24/12/1959&ato=ba8cXVE9UMRRVT0af)