# Law No. 3739 of April 4, 1960 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105648733](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648733) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3739-of-april-4-1960 ## Summary Law No. 3739 of April 4, 1960 (Lei nº 3739/1960) is a Brazilian federal statute enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Juscelino Kubitschek. This law pertains to matters of municipal administration, specifically concerning the donation of real property (imóveis) to municipal prefectures, with particular relevance to the municipality of Corumbá and the state of Mato Grosso. Published in Rio de Janeiro on April 4, 1960, the statute represents a formal legal instrument governing property transfers within Brazil's municipal framework. ## Key Facts - **Official Title:** Lei nº 3739, de 4 de abril de 1960 - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3739/1960 - **Country:** Brazil - **Publication Date:** April 4, 1960 - **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro - **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (Juscelino Kubitschek) - **Promulgation Date:** April 4, 1960 - **Classification:** Statute (formal written legal document) - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese - **Jurisdiction:** Brazil - **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-04-04;3739 - **Main Subjects:** Municipal prefecture (Prefeitura Municipal), real property (Imóvel), gift/donation (Doação), Mato Grosso (state), Corumbá (municipality) - **Official Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3739.htm ## FAQs **What is Law No. 3739 of April 4, 1960?** Law No. 3739 of April 4, 1960 is a Brazilian federal statute that governs the donation of real property to municipal prefectures. It was enacted by President Juscelino Kubitschek and specifically addresses matters related to municipal property transfers, with particular focus on the municipality of Corumbá and the state of Mato Grosso. **Which Brazilian president signed Law No. 3739/1960?** Law No. 3739 was signed and promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek on April 4, 1960. Kubitschek served as President of Brazil from 1956 to 1961 and was known for his ambitious infrastructure development program, including the construction of Brasília. **What subject matter does Law No. 3739/1960 regulate?** The law regulates the donation (doação) of real property (imóvel) to municipal prefectures (prefeituras municipais). It specifically mentions the state of Mato Grosso and the municipality of Corumbá as relevant jurisdictions, indicating it may have been enacted to address specific local property transfer needs or to establish a legal framework for municipal property acquisition in that region. **Where can Law No. 3739/1960 be accessed?** The full text of Law No. 3739 of April 4, 1960 is available through the official Brazilian government legislation portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3739.htm, which hosts the civil laws from 1950-1969. **What is the LEXML identifier for Law No. 3739/1960?** The law's official LEXML Brazil identifier is urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-04-04;3739. LEXML is the Brazilian legal metadata standard used to identify and locate legislative and legal documents. ## Why It Matters Law No. 3739 of April 4, 1960 matters because it represents a specific legislative mechanism through which the Brazilian federal government facilitated municipal property administration during a period of significant national development. Enacted during the Kubitschek administration—a period marked by rapid modernization and the transfer of Brazil's capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília—this law reflects the federal government's attention to municipal governance and property management in Brazil's interior regions. The law's focus on Corumbá and Mato Grosso is particularly significant. Corumbá, located in what is now Mato Grosso do Sul, was historically an important municipality in the Brazilian Pantanal region, serving as a strategic gateway for trade and transportation. The legislation provided a legal framework for transferring federal or state-owned lands to municipal control, enabling local governments to utilize property for public purposes such as infrastructure, education, healthcare facilities, or other municipal services. This statute exemplifies the broader pattern of Brazilian legislative activity during the 1950s and 1960s, when the federal and state governments undertook numerous property transfers to strengthen municipal autonomy and support regional development. By establishing clear legal procedures for property donations to municipalities, Law No. 3739 contributed to the legal infrastructure supporting Brazil's administrative decentralization. ## Notable For - **Historical Significance:** Enacted during President Juscelino Kubitschek's administration, a pivotal era in Brazilian history that saw the construction of Brasília and significant infrastructure development. - **Municipal Focus:** Specifically addresses property transfers to municipal prefectures, reflecting the legal framework for municipal governance and local administration in Brazil. - **Regional Relevance:** Contains specific provisions related to Corumbá, one of Brazil's historically significant municipalities in the Pantanal region, and the state of Mato Grosso. - **Legal Classification:** Classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law—making it part of Brazil's statutory law framework. - **Official Documentation:** Maintained in the official collection of Brazilian civil laws (Coleção das Leis Civis) and accessible through the Presidency's legislation portal. ## Body ### Legislative Context and Enactment Law No. 3739 of April 4, 1960 was promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek as part of Brazil's legislative output during the late 1950s and early 1960s. This period represented a transformative era in Brazilian history, characterized by the "Goals and Directives Plan" (Plano de Metas) and the ambitious project to construct Brasília, which was inaugurated as Brazil's new capital on April 21, 1960—just 17 days after this law was enacted. The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as Brazil's capital until the official transfer of governmental functions to Brasília in 1960. The publication in the official diary (diário oficial) established the law's formal enactment date and made it part of Brazil's statutory corpus. The law received the formal designation "Lei nº 3739/1960" in Brazilian legal citation conventions, where "Lei" indicates the legislative instrument type, "nº 3739" is the sequential number, and "1960" is the year of enactment. ### Subject Matter and Legal Provisions The statute addresses the donation (doação) of real property (imóvel) to municipal prefectures (prefeituras municipais). In Brazilian law, a "doação" refers to the voluntary transfer of ownership of property without consideration, typically made for charitable, public, or municipal purposes. Municipal prefectures are the executive branch of municipal governments, analogous to city halls or municipal administrations. The law's specific mention of Corumbá and Mato Grosso indicates that it was enacted to address particular circumstances in that region. Corumbá is a municipality located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (though at the time of enactment, it was part of the larger state of Mato Grosso before the creation of Mato Grosso do Sul in 1977). Corumbá has historically been an important municipality due to its strategic location on the Paraguay River, its role as a commercial center in the Pantanal region, and its proximity to the border with Bolivia and Paraguay. ### Legal Classification and Framework Law No. 3739 is classified as a statute (estatuto) within the Brazilian legal hierarchy. A statute is a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts passed by legislatures, executive orders, and by-laws. In the Brazilian legal system, statutes (leis) are primary sources of law, enacted by the legislative branch and promulgated by the executive branch. The law falls within the category of federal statutes (leis federais), applying to the entire territory of Brazil, though its provisions specifically address matters of municipal interest. It forms part of Brazil's broader legislative framework governing property law, municipal law, and public administration. The statute's classification as a "legal norm" (norma jurídica) means it establishes binding rules that must be followed by the relevant municipal authorities and citizens within its scope. ### Official Sources and Identifiers The law is officially documented and accessible through multiple Brazilian legal information systems. The primary official source is the Presidency's legislation portal (Portal da Legislação), maintained by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil at legislacao.presidencia.gov.br. The direct URL for the law is https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3739.htm, which hosts the law among other civil statutes from the period 1950-1969. The LEXML identifier for this law is urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-04-04;3739. LEXML is a Brazilian standard for legal metadata that provides unique identification for legislative and legal documents. The identifier follows the pattern of urn:lex:br:federal:lei:[date];[number], where "br" indicates Brazil, "federal" indicates the federal level, "lei" indicates the type of legislative act, the date is in YYYY-MM-DD format, and the number is the law's sequential number. ### Relationship to Broader Legal Concepts Law No. 3739 connects to several broader legal concepts in the Brazilian legal system. As a statute, it represents the formal expression of legislative will, created through the legislative process and causing the establishment of statutory law (direito statutory). The law relates to the concept of municipal autonomy (autonomia municipal), which is guaranteed by the Brazilian Constitution and includes the authority to acquire, manage, and dispose of municipal property. The law also intersects with property law (direito patrimonial), specifically the rules governing the donation of real property. In Brazilian law, donations of real property must comply with specific legal requirements, including formalities such as registration with the Registry of Deeds (Cartório de Registro de Imóveis) to effect the transfer of ownership. ### Historical and Administrative Context The enactment of Law No. 3739 in 1960 occurred during a period of significant administrative and territorial reorganization in Brazil. The year 1960 was pivotal: Brasília was inaugurated as the new capital on April 21, 1960, and the Federal District was formally established. The transfer of the capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília represented the culmination of decades of discussion and planning, and the period immediately surrounding this transition saw significant legislative activity. The specific focus on Corumbá and Mato Grosso in this law reflects the federal government's attention to the development of Brazil's interior regions, particularly areas with strategic importance due to their geographic position, natural resources, or economic potential. Corumbá, as a municipality with significant river transportation infrastructure and proximity to international borders, represented a priority area for federal engagement in municipal development. ### Legal Citation and Usage In Brazilian legal practice, Law No. 3739/1960 is cited using the standard legal citation format "Lei nº 3739/1960" or "Lei nº 3739, de 4 de abril de 1960." This citation includes the sequential number of the law, the year of enactment, and optionally the exact date of promulgation. Legal practitioners, courts, and administrative authorities use this citation when referring to the law in legal documents, court filings, administrative decisions, and legal scholarship. The law remains part of Brazil's active legal framework, though users should consult current legislation and legal databases to determine its current status, any amendments that may have been enacted, and its applicability to specific factual circumstances. Brazilian law establishes a complex system of legislative hierarchy and temporal application that affects how statutes like Law No. 3739 are interpreted and applied. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-04-04;3739) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3739&ano=1960&data=04/04/1960&ato=797UTVq50dVRVT7cb)