# Law No. 4277 of November 4, 1963

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105647941](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105647941)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4277-of-november-4-1963

## Summary
Law No. 4277 of November 4, 1963 (Lei nº 4277/1963) is a Brazilian federal statute approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President João Goulart. The law addresses the subject of supplementary credit ("Credito Suplementar") and involves the Chamber of Deputies, serving as a formal written document enacted to create specific legal rules within the country's jurisdiction.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 4277, de 4 de novembro de 1963.
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 4277/1963.
- **Date of Approval/Publication:** November 4, 1963.
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (promulgated by João Goulart).
- **Classification:** Instance of a statute (formal written document that creates law).
- **Main Subject:** Supplementary Credit (Credito Suplementar) and the Chamber of Deputies (Camara Dos Deputados).
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil.
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília.
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **LexML ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-11-04;4277.
- **Official URL:** Available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4277.htm.
- **Wikimedia Project:** Listed on the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws.

## FAQs
**What is the primary subject of Law No. 4277/1963?**
The law's main subject is supplementary credit ("Credito Suplementar"), and it also references the Chamber of Deputies ("Camara Dos Deputados").

**Who enacted and promulgated this law?**
It was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, with President João Goulart serving as the promulgating authority on November 4, 1963.

**Where can the official text of this law be found?**
The work is available at the official URL https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4277.htm and is identified in the LexML system under the URN urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-11-04;4277.

**In what language and location was this law published?**
The statute was published in Brasília, the federal capital of Brazil, and is written in Brazilian Portuguese.

**What type of legal document is this?**
This entity is classified as a statute, which is defined as a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts and serving as a manifestation of statutory law.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 4277/1963 matters as a tangible manifestation of statutory law within the Brazilian legal system, specifically regulating financial mechanisms through supplementary credit. As a federal statute, it exercises government authority by formally documenting the allocation of financial resources, a critical function for state administration. Its existence underscores the importance of "statutes" as the primary instruments for recording legal rules; unlike abstract legal theories, this document provides the concrete, written evidence necessary for enforceability. Furthermore, as a Brazilian government document, it falls under the "edict of government doctrine," placing it in the public domain to ensure citizens have unrestrained access to the laws governing them.

## Notable For
- **Specific Financial Focus:** Notable for addressing "Crédito Suplementar" (Supplementary Credit), a specific financial mechanism within Brazilian budgetary law.
- **Promulgation by João Goulart:** Enacted during the presidency of João Goulart, reflecting the political administration of Brazil in the early 1960s.
- **Digital Preservation:** Indexed in the LexML system with a specific URN (urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-11-04;4277) for standardized legal metadata.
- **Capital Context:** Published in Brasília, which had been the federal capital of Brazil for only three years at the time of enactment (having moved from Rio de Janeiro in 1960).

## Body

### Legal Classification and Definition
Law No. 4277 of November 4, 1963, is taxonomically classified as a **statute**. In legal terms, a statute is defined as a formal written document that creates law. It acts as the concrete manifestation of statutory law and is distinct from abstract concepts of legislation or legal acts. This document serves as a subclass of a "written work" and a "document," composed of legal norms that result from the legislative process. By classification, it is a specific instance of the broader legal concept of a statute, which encompasses acts, executive orders, and by-laws, though this specific entity is a legislative act.

### Legislative Authority and Process
The law was approved by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The determination method for this approval was promulgation, which occurred on **November 4, 1963**. The specific political figure associated with this promulgation is **João Goulart**, who served as the President of Brazil at that time. The legislative process also involved the **Chamber of Deputies** (Camara Dos Deputados), which is listed as a main subject of the law. This aligns with the structure of the Brazilian government, a federal republic where laws are drafted and passed by the National Congress (comprising the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies) before being sanctioned or promulgated by the Executive branch.

### Subject Matter: Supplementary Credit
The primary content of Law No. 4277/1963 concerns **"Credito Suplementar"** (Supplementary Credit). Supplementary credit is a financial mechanism used in public administration to authorize additional expenditures beyond those initially budgeted when unforeseen events occur or revenue exceeds expectations. By addressing this topic, the statute functions as a crucial tool for the financial management of the state, allowing the government to adjust its fiscal execution dynamically.

### Publication and Jurisdiction
The statute applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil**, the largest country in South America and the fifth-largest nation in the world by area. The place of publication for this law is **Brasília**, the capital of Brazil since April 22, 1960. The document is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the country. The publication date is recorded as **November 4, 1963**, coinciding with the date of its approval.

### Identifiers and Accessibility
As a formal legal document, Law No. 4277/1963 is cataloged with specific identifiers to ensure its accessibility and authority control:
- **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-11-04;4277`
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 4277/1963
- **Digital Location:** The work is hosted by the official Brazilian government platform at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4277.htm`

The law is also tracked within the Wikimedia ecosystem as part of **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its relevance to encyclopedic documentation of Brazilian legislation. As a statute, it is generally considered to be in the public domain, adhering to the principle that official legal documents are not subject to copyright, thereby ensuring public access to the legal text.

### Context within the Brazilian Federation
This law operates within the context of the **Federative Republic of Brazil**, a federal presidential representative democracy. Enacted in 1963, it preceded the military coup that occurred in 1964, falling within the democratic period of the Fourth Brazilian Republic (1946–1964). The statute represents the exercise of federal authority, distinct from state or local laws, and is applicable across the Brazilian territory, which spans approximately 8.5 million km² and comprises 26 states and one Federal District.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1963-11-04;4277)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4277&ano=1963&data=04/11/1963&ato=bb2UzZq50MVRVT0d6)