# Law No. 3922 of July 25, 1961

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648096](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648096)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3922-of-july-25-1961

## Summary
**Law No. 3922 of July 25, 1961** (Lei nº 3.922/1961) is a Brazilian federal statute enacted to rectify the national budget estimates for the fiscal year 1960. Promulgated by President Jânio Quadros in Brasília, the law formally corrects provisions established in Law 3.682 of December 7, 1959, specifically regarding the revenue and expenditure of the Federal Government of Brazil, without incurring additional expenses. It serves as a specific legal instrument within the broader framework of Brazilian statutory law.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3.922, de 25 de julho de 1961.
- **Classification:** Instance of a **statute** (formal written document/act).
- **Enactment Date:** July 25, 1961.
- **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil; signed by President **Jânio Quadros**.
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (Federative Republic of Brazil).
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3.922/1961.
- **Primary Subject:** Rectification (correction) of **Law 3.682 of December 7, 1959**.
- **Subject Matter:** Federal Budget (Orçamento), Revenue Estimates (Receita), Expenditure Fixing (Despesa), and Financial Year (Exercicio Financeiro) for 1960.
- **Specific Provision:** Rectifies the previous law "without expense" (sem ônus).
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Federal District.
- **Unique Identifier:** LexML Brazil ID `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-07-25;3922`.
- **Source URL:** Available at the official Planalto government archive (`https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3922.htm`).

## FAQs
**What is the specific purpose of Law No. 3922?**
The law serves to rectify (correct or amend) Law 3.682, which was passed on December 7, 1959. Specifically, it adjusts the official estimates for revenue and the fixed limits for expenditure for the Brazilian federal government for the fiscal year 1960, without creating new financial charges.

**Who authorized this law and when did it take effect?**
The law was authorized by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Jânio Quadros. It was officially promulgated and published on July 25, 1961, in the capital city of Brasília.

**What type of legal document is this?**
It is a statute, defined as a formal written document that creates or modifies law. As a statutory instrument, it is part of the public domain, accessible to the citizenry, and serves as an official record of legislative action applicable to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3922 matters as a concrete example of the mechanisms of public administration and fiscal responsibility within the Brazilian legal system. While it may appear to be a simple administrative correction, it illustrates the continuous process of governance required to maintain accurate federal budgeting. By rectifying the financial estimates for the 1960 fiscal year (even after that year had concluded), the law represents the government's obligation to maintain precise legal and accounting records.

Furthermore, the law is historically significant as it was enacted during the brief presidency of Jânio Quadros, a pivotal figure in Brazilian history whose tenure was marked by attempts at moralization and efficiency in government. The law also exemplifies the definition of a "statute" in practice: it is a formal, written manifestation of statutory law, publicly accessible via the LexML system and the Planalto archives, ensuring transparency and the preservation of legal history.

## Notable For
- **Budget Rectification:** Specifically targets the correction of financial estimates and expenditure limits for the 1960 fiscal year established by Law 3.682.
- **Jânio Quadros Era:** One of the legal acts promulgated by President Jânio Quadros during his short time in office (early 1961).
- **Capital City Publication:** Issued in Brasília, which had only recently become the federal capital in 1960.
- **Statutory Nature:** Serves as a clear example of a "statute" or "act"—a formal written document that modifies existing legal norms—in this case, modifying previous budget legislation.
- **Public Accessibility:** Fully digitized and available through Brazil's official legal databases (LexML and Portal Planalto), complying with the public domain nature of government edicts.

## Body

### Legislative Definition and Nature
Law No. 3922 is technically classified as a **statute**. In legal taxonomy, a statute is a formal written document enacted to create or modify law, distinct from abstract legal theories or judicial decisions. It is considered a subclass of "written work" and "rule," serving as the tangible manifestation of statutory law.

As a statute, this law embodies the characteristics defined by legal theory and library science:
- **Public Domain Status:** Like all statutes in Brazil (and adhering to principles similar to the "edict of government doctrine" in the U.S.), it is an official legal document not subject to copyright, ensuring public accessibility.
- **Composition:** Structured as a legal norm, it functions as a component of the broader legal system.
- **Identifier:** It holds a specific `LexML Brazil ID` (`urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-07-25;3922`), which allows it to be indexed and retrieved within global and national legal knowledge graphs.

### Content and Subject Matter
The primary function of Law No. 3922 is the **rectification** of a predecessor statute, Law 3.682, enacted on December 7, 1959. The subject matter focuses strictly on fiscal administration:
- **Revenue and Expenditure:** It corrects the estimates for government income (receita) and the fixed limits for government spending (despesa) for the **Federal Government of Brazil (União Federal)**.
- **Financial Year:** The adjustments apply specifically to the **1960 financial year (Exercicio Financeiro)**.
- **Condition:** The rectification is specified as being "sem ônus," meaning it imposes no additional financial burden or cost to the treasury in the process of correcting the record.

### Promulgation and Authority
The law was enacted by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**.
- **Signatory:** The act was promulgated by **Jânio Quadros**. Quadros assumed the presidency on January 31, 1961, and resigned in August of the same year, placing this law within the active period of his administration.
- **Date and Location:** It was published on **July 25, 1961**, in **Brasília**. Brasília had been inaugurated as the capital just over a year prior (April 21, 1960), marking this law as part of the early legislative output of the new capital.

### Jurisdictional Context
The entity operates within the legal framework of **Brazil**, a federal republic in South America.
- **Jurisdiction:** The law applies to the entire national territory (applies to jurisdiction: Brazil).
- **Language:** The text is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the country.
- **Context:** At the time of enactment in 1961, Brazil was operating under the democratic framework that preceded the 1964 military coup, and the capital had recently shifted from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília.

### Availability and References
The text of Law No. 3922 is preserved and accessible through official channels:
- **Official Web Resource:** The full text is available at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3922.htm` (hosted by the Civil House of the Presidency).
- **Legal Reference:** It is indexed under the **WikiProject Brazilian Laws** on Wikimedia projects, signifying its relevance in structured knowledge bases.
- **Archive Details:** Referenced by the Presidency's legislative portal and the LexML identifier system, ensuring its validity as a primary legal source.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-07-25;3922)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3922&ano=1961&data=25/07/1961&ato=dd8MTVE5keVRVT73e)
3. LexML Brasil