# Law No. 4020 of December 20, 1961

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648106](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648106)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4020-of-december-20-1961

## Summary
**Law No. 4020 of December 20, 1961** is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the presidency of João Goulart that officially designates the settlement known as Núcleo Bandeirante as a "satellite city" within the Federal District. Published in Brasília on December 20, 1961, it is a formal legal document that regulates matters of real property, construction, classification, and prohibitions in the context of the newly established federal capital region.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 4020, de 20 de dezembro de 1961 (Law No. 4020 of December 20, 1961)
- **Also Known As:** Lei nº 4020/1961
- **Type of Instrument:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Date of Enactment:** December 20, 1961
- **Promulgated By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **President at Enactment:** João Goulart
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (Federal level)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Core Legal Digest:** "CONSIDERA CIDADE SATELITE O CHAMADO NUCLEO BANDEIRANTE, NO ATUAL DISTRITO FEDERAL" (Designates the locality called Núcleo Bandeirante in the current Federal District as a satellite city)
- **Main Subjects Regulated:** Construction (Construção), Federal District (Distrito Federal), Classification (Classificação), Prohibition (Proibição), Real Property (Imóvel)
- **Official Legal Identifier (URN):** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-12-20;4020
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4020.htm
- **Wikidata Project Classification:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What specific geographic area does Law No. 4020/1961 affect?**
The law applies specifically to the Federal District of Brazil, with its primary legal effect being the official classification of the Núcleo Bandeirante settlement as a satellite city within this federal jurisdiction.

**Who was responsible for enacting this law?**
The law was promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President João Goulart and was published in the capital city of Brasília on December 20, 1961.

**What are the primary regulatory topics covered by this statute?**
Beyond its main provision on city classification, the law addresses matters related to construction, the classification of areas and properties, specific prohibitions, and the regulation of real property within the Federal District.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 4020 of December 20, 1961 holds significance as a foundational legal instrument in the early development of Brazil's new capital, Brasília. Enacted just over a year after the inauguration of Brasília as the federal capital in April 1960, this statute represents an early step in the formal urban and legal organization of the Federal District. By granting official "satellite city" status to Núcleo Bandeirante, the law played a role in the administrative and social structuring of the region. Núcleo Bandeirante was one of the first settlements established to house workers building the new capital, and its formal recognition by federal law underscores the government's role in legitimizing and regulating these early communities. The law's broader provisions on construction and real property further highlight its role in establishing the initial legal framework for development in the nascent capital region.

## Notable For
- **Early Capital Development:** Being one of the initial federal statutes enacted to regulate the urban and administrative landscape of the newly established Federal District of Brasília.
- **Núcleo Bandeirante Recognition:** Formally designating Núcleo Bandeirante—a settlement built by workers constructing Brasília—as an official "satellite city."
- **João Goulart Presidency:** Serving as a legal act promulgated during the presidency of João Goulart, a significant and turbulent period in Brazilian political history.
- **Multi-Subject Regulation:** Covering a range of regulatory domains including real property, construction, classification, and prohibitions in a single statute.

## Body

### Legislative Classification and Formal Identity
Law No. 4020 of December 20, 1961 is formally classified as a **statute** (estatuto), a type of formal written document enacted to create law. As a federal statute of Brazil, it is a manifestation of statutory law and serves as an official legal record enacted by the Brazilian government. The law is identified by its legal citation, "Lei nº 4020/1961," and has been assigned the LexML Brazil URN identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-12-20;4020`, which serves as a unique and persistent digital reference. It is part of the broader body of Brazilian federal legislation and is categorized under "WikiProject Brazilian Laws" on Wikidata.

### Historical and Political Context
The law was enacted and published on **December 20, 1961**, in the city of **Brasília**, which had recently become the capital of Brazil on April 21, 1960. The statute was promulgated by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, with **João Goulart** serving as President at the time. This period was politically complex; Goulart had assumed the presidency in September 1961 under a parliamentary system agreed upon to appease military opponents, making any law from his early presidency a product of a unique constitutional arrangement. The law's focus on the Federal District reflects the urgent need for legal frameworks to manage the rapid growth and informality of the new capital's surrounding settlements.

### Core Legal Provision: The Satellite City Designation
The primary legal digest of the statute is stated as: **"CONSIDERA CIDADE SATELITE O CHAMADO NUCLEO BANDEIRANTE, NO ATUAL DISTRITO FEDERAL"** (Designates the locality called Núcleo Bandeirante in the current Federal District as a satellite city). The settlement of Núcleo Bandeirante originated as "Candangolândia," a temporary camp for workers (known as *candangos*) who constructed Brasília. By officially recognizing it as a "satellite city," the federal government provided formal legal status to a community that had spontaneously formed, thereby integrating it into the administrative structure of the Federal District.

### Regulatory Scope and Main Subjects
According to structured data from the legislation, Law No. 4020/1961 addresses several interconnected main subjects, indicating a broad regulatory scope beyond the primary city designation:
- **Construction (Construção):** Provisions likely regulate building activities, ensuring they conform to the new urban planning requirements of the Federal District.
- **Federal District (Distrito Federal):** The law is geographically bounded to the Federal District, tailoring its effects to this specific jurisdiction.
- **Classification (Classificação):** This subject points to the law's function in categorizing areas, settlements, or types of property, as seen in its main action of classifying Núcleo Bandeirante.
- **Prohibition (Proibição):** The statute likely includes specific prohibitions, potentially related to unauthorized construction, squatting, or real estate speculation in the sensitive areas of the new capital.
- **Real Property (Imóvel):** Regulations concerning real estate ownership, transfer, or use are a central component, relevant to the establishment of property rights in a newly created federal district.

### Jurisdiction, Language, and Access
The statute applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil** at the federal level and was written in **Brazilian Portuguese**. As an official legal document, it is in the public domain. The law is accessible to the public via its official URL on the Brazilian government's legal portal: `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4020.htm`. This accessibility ensures that the legal text is available for consultation by citizens, legal professionals, and researchers, reinforcing the principle of transparency in Brazilian statutory law.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-12-20;4020)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4020&ano=1961&data=20/12/1961&ato=2ebUTWU5keVRVT48d)
3. LexML Brasil