# Law No. 374 of September 10, 1948 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105649885](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649885) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-374-of-september-10-1948 ## Summary Law No. 374 of September 10, 1948 (Lei nº 374/1948) is a Brazilian federal statute enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, dealing with special budgetary adjustments and payments related to the Ministry of Justice and Interior Affairs. Published in Rio de Janeiro on September 10, 1948, this law represents a formal legislative act within Brazil's statutory framework and is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law. The law falls under Brazilian jurisdiction and was written in Brazilian Portuguese, with its official legal citation being Lei nº 374/1948. ## Key Facts - **Official Title:** Lei nº 374, de 10 de setembro de 1948 - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 374/1948 - **Country:** Brazil - **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (applies_to_jurisdiction) - **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (promulgated on 1948-09-10) - **Instance Of:** statute (a formal written document that creates law) - **Publication Date:** September 10, 1948 - **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese - **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-09-10;374 - **Main Subject:** special budgetary adjustment (Credito Especial) - **Related Topics:** overdue (Vencimentos), end (Destinação), goal (Objetivo), payment (Pagamento) - **Relevant Ministry:** Ministério da Justiça e Negócios Interiores (Ministry of Justice and Interior Affairs) - **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law ## FAQs **What type of legal document is Law No. 374 of September 10, 1948?** Law No. 374 of September 10, 1948 is a statute—a formal written document that creates law, classified as an act passed by governmental authority. In Brazil's legal taxonomy, statutes are the physical expression of statutory law, distinct from other legal concepts like regulations or judicial decisions. **What is the subject matter of this law?** The law deals with special budgetary adjustments (Crédito Especial) and relates to the Ministério da Justiça e Negócios Interiores (Ministry of Justice and Interior Affairs). It covers topics including overdue payments (Vencimentos), destination of funds (Destinação), objectives (Objetivo), and general payment matters (Pagamento). **Where was this law published and in what language?** The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as Brazil's capital at the time, and was written in Brazilian Portuguese. It maintains its official status as part of Brazil's legislative corpus. **How is this law identified in legal databases?** The law carries the LEXML Brazil identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-09-10;374 and is commonly cited as Lei nº 374/1948. LEXML is Brazil's centralized system for legal documentation. **What is the relationship between this law and the concept of a statute?** As a statute, Law No. 374/1948 exemplifies the legal concept of a formal written document that creates law. It follows the legislative process, is caused by legislation, and results in statutory law. Statutes like this one are considered public domain documents in many jurisdictions, including Brazil, ensuring public access to legal texts. ## Why It Matters Law No. 374 of September 10, 1948 matters as part of Brazil's legislative history and the development of its statutory framework. Enacted in the post-World War II period, this law represents the Brazilian government's exercise of its legislative authority to address specific budgetary and administrative matters within the Ministry of Justice and Interior Affairs. The law demonstrates how statutes function as the primary instruments through which government authority is formally exercised and recorded—providing concrete, written evidence of legal rules that govern administrative procedures. As a statute, Lei nº 374/1948 contributes to the body of statutory law that shapes Brazil's legal system. The law's focus on special budgetary adjustments and payments reflects the ongoing administrative needs of government operations, particularly in managing financial resources for the Ministry of Justice. Understanding this law provides insight into Brazil's mid-20th century governance structures and financial administration practices. The law also exemplifies the classification system used in legal knowledge bases, where it is categorized as a statute—a foundational legal concept that encompasses acts, executive orders, and by-laws. This classification facilitates research and reference across legal databases and international legal scholarship. ## Notable For - **Legislative Age:** One of Brazil's older federal statutes still recorded in official legal databases, enacted in 1948 - **Administrative Focus:** Specifically addresses budgetary and payment matters within the Ministry of Justice and Interior Affairs - **Historical Context:** Enacted during Brazil's post-World War II period, reflecting the country's administrative development - **Legal Classification:** Represented as a statute—the formal written document that creates law—in legal knowledge systems - **Database Integration:** Maintains active identification in LEXML, Brazil's official legal documentation system ## Body ### Identification and Classification Law No. 374 of September 10, 1948 is officially titled "Lei nº 374, de 10 de setembro de 1948" and is commonly cited as "Lei nº 374/1948." The law is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law, including acts, executive orders, and by-laws. This classification places it within the broader category of statutory law, which represents the official record of legal rules enacted by governmental authority. The law's instance as a statute aligns with the global understanding of such documents: they are formal expressions of legal rules, created through legislation, and serve as the manifestation of statutory law within a jurisdiction. In Brazil's legal system, statutes like this one form part of the hierarchical structure of legal norms, sitting below the Constitution but above administrative regulations. ### Jurisdiction and Authority This federal law applies to Brazil as a jurisdiction and was enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The law was promulgated on September 10, 1948, representing the exercise of executive authority in conjunction with legislative processes. At the time of enactment, Brazil was operating under different constitutional arrangements than the current 1988 Constitution, reflecting the country's historical political evolution. The law was published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as Brazil's capital until 1960 when Brasília became the new capital. This publication location is significant for legal research, as historical Brazilian legislation was systematically documented and archived through official government publications. ### Subject Matter and Content The primary subject of Law No. 374/1948 is special budgetary adjustment, designated in the original Portuguese as "Crédito Especial." This type of legislative action typically addresses extraordinary or unforeseen financial needs that were not anticipated in the regular budget. The law covers several related topics: - **Vencimentos (Overdue):** Provisions relating to overdue payments or salaries - **Destinação (End/Destination):** Guidelines regarding the allocation or destination of funds - **Objetivo (Goal):** The objectives to be achieved through the authorized budgetary adjustments - **Pagamento (Payment):** General provisions concerning payments These topics indicate that the law was designed to address financial irregularities or special funding needs within the Ministério da Justiça e Negócios Interiores (Ministry of Justice and Interior Affairs). The Ministry, which existed in Brazil's governmental structure, was responsible for justice administration and internal affairs during this period. ### Legal Documentation and References The law is documented in Brazil's official legal information systems: - **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-09-10;374 - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 374/1948 LEXML serves as Brazil's integrated system for legal documentation, providing persistent identifiers for legislative texts. This system ensures that laws remain accessible and citable over time, regardless of subsequent amendments or repeals. The law is written in Brazilian Portuguese, consistent with Brazil's official language requirement for domestic legislation. This ensures clarity and accessibility for Brazilian legal professionals, citizens, and government officials. ### Relationship to Broader Legal Concepts Law No. 374/1948 exists within a framework of related legal concepts: - **Statute:** The law is an instance of a statute, which is a formal written document that creates law - **Statutory Law:** As a statute, it contributes to Brazil's statutory law—the body of laws enacted by legislative bodies - **Legal Norm:** The law contains legal norms that govern administrative and financial behavior - **Legislation:** The law was caused by the legislative process This relationship to broader legal concepts demonstrates how individual statutes fit within national and international legal frameworks. The classification of statutes as public domain documents in many jurisdictions, including Brazil, ensures that laws remain accessible to the public—a fundamental principle of open government and the rule of law. ### Historical Significance Enacted in 1948, this law represents a moment in Brazil's mid-20th century governance. The post-World War II period saw significant development in Brazilian administrative structures, and legislation addressing budgetary matters reflected the growing complexity of government operations. The Ministry of Justice and Interior Affairs played a central role in Brazil's domestic administration during this era. The law's survival in official databases demonstrates the importance of maintaining legislative records for historical research, legal continuity, and administrative purposes. Understanding laws from this period provides context for Brazil's institutional development and the evolution of its public administration. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-09-10;374)