# Law No. 3909 of June 26, 1961 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105648046](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648046) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3909-of-june-26-1961 ## Summary Law No. 3909 of June 26, 1961, is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the presidency of Jânio Quadros. Published in Brasília, the law addresses matters of authorization and prorogation (extension), and is formally classified as a legal instrument of the Federative Republic of Brazil. ## Key Facts - **Official Title:** Lei nº 3909, de 26 de junho de 1961 - **Alternative Citation:** Lei nº 3909/1961 - **Enactment Date:** June 26, 1961 - **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil - **Country:** Brazil - **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil - **Type of Legal Instrument:** Statute - **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil - **Promulgating Authority:** Jânio Quadros (President at the time) - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese - **Main Subjects:** Authorization (Autorização), Prorogation (Prorrogação) - **Lexml Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-06-26;3909 - **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law - **Wikimedia Project:** Listed on WikiProject Brazilian Laws - **Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3909.htm ## FAQs **What type of legal document is Law No. 3909/1961?** Law No. 3909 is a federal statute, which is a formal written document that creates law in Brazil. It functions as the official record of a legal rule enacted by the federal government. **Who approved and promulgated Law No. 3909?** The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President Jânio Quadros on June 26, 1961. **What subjects does Law No. 3909 address?** According to its official record, the law's main subjects are "authorization" (Autorização) and "prorogation" (Prorrogação), which typically refers to the extension of a time period or validity for a previously established legal provision. **Where can the full text of Law No. 3909 be found?** The full text of the law is available online at the official Planalto Palace website (https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3909.htm) and is indexed under the Lexml Brazil ID: urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-06-26;3909. ## Why It Matters Law No. 3909 of June 26, 1961 matters as a formal manifestation of statutory law within the Brazilian legal system. As a statute, it serves as the tangible, written evidence of a legal rule enacted by the federal government during a pivotal year in Brazil's political history, shortly before the resignation of President Jânio Quadros. The law's focus on "authorization" and "prorogation" indicates its function in the administrative process of the Brazilian state, likely extending permissions or timeframes established by prior legislation. Its inclusion in WikiProject Brazilian Laws and assignment of a Lexml Brazil ID further highlight its official status and relevance for legal indexing and public access to government information. As with other Brazilian statutes, it is a public domain document, ensuring citizens have unrestrained access to the laws they must follow. ## Notable For - **Federal Legal Instrument:** An official statute enacted at the federal level of the Federative Republic of Brazil. - **Promulgation Authority:** Signed into law by President Jânio Quadros, who served a brief but consequential presidency in 1961. - **Public Accessibility:** Full text is freely available online via the official Planalto government portal, reflecting the public domain status of Brazilian legal texts. - **Structured Legal Indexing:** Uniquely identified by a Lexml Brazil URN (urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-06-26;3909), enabling precise digital citation and retrieval. - **Subject Classification:** Officially categorized under the subjects of "authorization" (Autorização) and "prorogation" (Prorrogação) in Brazilian legal databases. ## Body ### Legal Classification and Nature Law No. 3909 is classified as a **statute** (in Portuguese: *lei*). A statute is a formal written document that creates law. It serves as a specific legal term and concept, functioning as the concrete manifestation of statutory law. In the hierarchy of Brazilian legal instruments, it is a federal law (*lei federal*), applicable to the entire jurisdiction of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Structurally, this law is a "legal act" caused by legislation. It exists as a written work and document, distinguishing it from abstract legal principles. As a public domain legal text, it is not subject to copyright restrictions, consistent with the "edict of government doctrine" which ensures public ownership of official laws. ### Historical and Political Context The law was enacted on **June 26, 1961**, a significant period in Brazilian history. - **Promulgating Authority:** The statute was approved and signed by **Jânio Quadros**, the President of Brazil at the time. His term, which began earlier in 1961, was marked by an independent foreign policy and subsequent resignation in August 1961, merely weeks after this law's publication. - **Location:** It was published in **Brasília**, the federal capital of Brazil. Brasília had been inaugurated as the capital just one year prior, in April 1960, making this law part of the early legislative output of the new capital. ### Subject Matter and Scope The official record for Law No. 3909 identifies two primary subjects: - **Authorization (Autorização):** This typically denotes legal permission granted by the state, often for specific actions, expenditures, or the creation of other legal mechanisms. - **Prorogation (Prorrogação):** This refers to the extension of time or validity, most often applied to deadlines, the duration of other legal norms, or temporary permissions granted by previous laws. These keywords suggest the law's function was administrative, likely concerning the extension of a prior authorization or legal deadline. ### Official Identification and Digital Access To facilitate precise citation and retrieval, Law No. 3909 is indexed in several official and structured systems: - **Legal Citation:** The standard legal citation is **Lei nº 3909/1961**. - **Lexml Brazil ID:** It carries the unique Uniform Resource Name (URN): **urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-06-26;3909**. This identifier is part of Brazil's Legislative XML project, a standard for identifying and exchanging legislative information. - **Online Source:** The full text is hosted on the official website of the Planalto Palace, the seat of the Brazilian executive branch, at the URL: `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3909.htm`. ### Relationship to Brazilian Legal System As a statute enacted by the federal government, Law No. 3909 applies to the entire national territory of Brazil. It was created through the federal legislative process, which includes approval by the National Congress of Brazil and subsequent sanction (promulgation) by the President. The law is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the country. It is also cataloged under **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, a Wikimedia initiative dedicated to organizing and improving coverage of Brazilian legislation. ### Jurisdictional Context: Brazil The law's jurisdiction is the **Federative Republic of Brazil**. As a federal statute, it is part of the body of law governed by the Constitution of Brazil. The nation operates as a federal republic with a presidential system. At the time of the law's enactment in 1961, the country was known as the United States of Brazil, a name that would later change to the current Federative Republic of Brazil with the 1988 Constitution. The law remains a historical legal act within the continuous legal tradition of the Brazilian state, whose independence dates back to September 7, 1822. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-06-26;3909) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3909&ano=1961&data=26/06/1961&ato=779kXUE5keVRVTe94)