# Law No. 3811 of September 10, 1960

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648932](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648932)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3811-of-september-10-1960

## Summary
Law No. 3811 of September 10, 1960, is a Brazilian federal statute enacted to authorize a special budgetary adjustment known as a "Credito Especial" specifically for the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil. Promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek, this legal instrument serves as a formal written document creating a specific financial mandate within the Brazilian legal system. It was published in Brasília and remains a recorded part of the nation's legislative history from the 1950–1969 period.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3811, de 10 de setembro de 1960
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3811/1960
- **Classification:** Statute (a formal written document that creates law)
- **Country of Origin:** Brazil (Federative Republic of Brazil)
- **Jurisdiction:** Applies to the entire territory of Brazil
- **Publication Date:** September 10, 1960
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgated By:** Juscelino Kubitschek (President at the time)
- **Main Subject:** Special budgetary adjustment (stated as "Credito Especial")
- **Target Beneficiary:** Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil (Ministerio Da Agricultura / Magr)
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-09-10;3811
- **Official Online Source:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3811.htm
- **Legislative Period:** Enacted during the 1950–1969 legislative era
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of Law No. 3811?**
The law was enacted to authorize a special budgetary adjustment, technically classified as a "Credito Especial," specifically allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil. This financial mechanism allows the ministry to address specific funding needs outside the standard annual budget cycle.

**Who was responsible for approving and promulgating this statute?**
The statute was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under the leadership of President Juscelino Kubitschek. The act of promulgation occurred on the same day as the publication date, September 10, 1960.

**Where can the official text of this law be accessed?**
The full text of the law is available online via the official Planalto government portal at the URL https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3811.htm. It is also indexed in the LexML Brazil system under the unique identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-09-10;3811.

**Does this law apply to jurisdictions outside of Brazil?**
No, the statute applies exclusively to the jurisdiction of Brazil. It is a federal law enacted by the Brazilian government and governs domestic financial and administrative matters within the country's borders.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3811 of September 10, 1960, represents a critical mechanism in Brazilian public administration for managing fiscal flexibility. By establishing a "Credito Especial," the law addresses the practical necessity of funding specific government operations—here, the Ministry of Agriculture—that may arise after the initial budget approval or require immediate financial attention. This type of legislation ensures that essential state functions, particularly in the agricultural sector which is vital to Brazil's economy, can continue without interruption due to budgetary rigidities.

Furthermore, this statute serves as a historical record of the legislative priorities during the administration of Juscelino Kubitschek, a period marked by significant infrastructure and economic development in Brazil. As a formal statute, it exemplifies the "edict of government" principle, functioning as a public domain document that provides the legal basis for financial transactions and administrative actions. Its existence in the LexML system and on official government portals ensures transparency and legal certainty for citizens and administrators alike, reinforcing the rule of law by making the specific allocation of public funds to the Ministry of Agriculture a matter of public record.

## Notable For
- **Specific Fiscal Instrument:** It is a distinct example of a "Credito Especial" (Special Credit) law, a specific type of budgetary adjustment in the Brazilian legal framework.
- **Targeted Beneficiary:** The law is uniquely focused on the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil (Ministerio Da Agricultura), highlighting the sector's importance in 1960.
- **Historical Context:** It was enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek, a pivotal era in Brazilian modernization.
- **Digital Preservation:** The law is fully digitized and accessible via the LexML Brazil project, ensuring long-term preservation of the legal text.
- **Standardized Citation:** It utilizes the standard Brazilian legal citation format (Lei nº 3811/1960) for easy reference in legal and academic contexts.
- **Jurisdictional Clarity:** It explicitly applies to the Federative Republic of Brazil, serving as a clear example of federal legislative authority.

## Body

### Definition and Legal Classification
Law No. 3811 of September 10, 1960, is classified as a **statute**, which is defined as a formal written document that creates law. In the context of Brazilian jurisprudence, it falls under the category of federal legislation. As a statute, it is an instance of a legal term and concept, functioning as the concrete manifestation of statutory law. It is taxonomically a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." The law is composed of legal norms and serves as a part of the broader concepts of "law" and "legal act." Its creation was preceded by draft laws and was caused by the legislative act of the Brazilian government.

### Legislative History and Promulgation
The statute was approved by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The specific act of promulgation was carried out by **Juscelino Kubitschek**, who served as the President of Brazil at the time. The legal process culminated on **September 10, 1960**, which serves as both the approval date and the publication date. The law was officially published in **Brasília**, the capital of Brazil. This places the legislation within the historical context of the late 1950s and early 1960s, a period of significant political and economic activity in the country. The law is part of the legislative sequence covering the years 1950 to 1969.

### Subject Matter and Scope
The primary subject of Law No. 3811 is a **special budgetary adjustment**. In the specific terminology of the law, this is stated as **"Credito Especial"** (Special Credit). This financial instrument is designed to provide additional funding authority to a specific government entity. The designated beneficiary of this special credit is the **Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil**, also referred to in the source data as **"Ministerio Da Agricultura (Magr)"**. The law does not create a new agency but rather allocates specific financial resources to an existing ministry to address budgetary needs. The jurisdiction of the law is strictly limited to the **Federative Republic of Brazil**.

### Administrative and Technical Identifiers
To ensure precise identification and retrieval within legal and library systems, Law No. 3811 is assigned several unique identifiers:
- **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-09-10;3811`. This Uniform Resource Name (URN) is the standard identifier used in the Brazilian legal metadata system.
- **Legal Citation:** The standard citation format is **Lei nº 3811/1960**.
- **Language:** The official language of the work is **Brazilian Portuguese**.
- **Digital Access:** The full text is hosted on the official Planalto website at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3811.htm`.
- **Wikidata Description:** The entity is described simply as "Brazilian law" in the Wikidata knowledge base.

### Relationship to Broader Legal Concepts
This statute operates within the framework of the **edict of government doctrine**, which generally places official legal documents in the public domain, ensuring they are not subject to copyright restrictions. As a formal written document, it acts as a manifestation of statutory law. It is distinct from general concepts of "legislation" or "legal act" in that it is the specific physical or formal expression of a rule. The law is connected to the broader category of "Acts" (laws passed by a legislature) and functions as a specific type of legal instrument alongside executive orders and by-laws. Its existence supports the principle that laws must be documented, accessible, and enforceable, serving as a definitive reference point for the Ministry of Agriculture and the public.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1960-09-10;3811)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3811&ano=1960&data=10/09/1960&ato=f7fETT650dVRVT52a)