# Law No. 431 of October 12, 1948

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649793](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649793)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-431-of-october-12-1948

## Summary
**Law No. 431 of October 12, 1948** (Portuguese: *Lei nº 431, de 12 de outubro de 1948*) is a Brazilian federal statute that authorizes a special budgetary adjustment. Enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the law specifically opens a special credit (*crédito especial*) to cover expenses for the Ministry of War in the state of Mato Grosso.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 431, de 12 de outubro de 1948
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 431/1948
- **Entity Type:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Date of Enactment:** October 12, 1948
- **Publishing Location:** Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Primary Subject:** Special budgetary adjustment (*Crédito Especial*)
- **Beneficiary Entity:** Ministry of War of Brazil (*Ministério da Guerra*)
- **Target Location:** State of Mato Grosso (*Estado de Mato Grosso*)
- **Subject Category:** Expense (*Despesa*)
- **Standard Identifier:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-10-12;431` (Lexml Brazil ID)

## FAQs
**What is the specific purpose of Law No. 431/1948?**
The law authorizes a "special budgetary adjustment" (referred to as *Crédito Especial*) to cover expenses. These funds are specifically allocated to the Ministry of War for operations or needs within the state of Mato Grosso.

**Who enacted and published this law?**
The statute was approved via promulgation by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil on October 12, 1948. It was published in Rio de Janeiro, which was the federal capital at that time.

**How is this law classified in legal databases?**
It is classified as a "statute"—a formal written document creating law—and applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil. It is indexed in the WikiProject Brazilian Laws and carries the official Lexml Brazil identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-10-12;431`.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 431 of October 12, 1948, serves as a specific example of post-World War II administrative management in Brazil. By authorizing a *Crédito Especial* (special credit) specifically for the **Ministry of War**, it illustrates the federal government's fiscal prioritization of military logistics in the interior region of **Mato Grosso** during the mid-20th century. As a statute, it functions as a manifestation of statutory law, permanently recording a specific financial allocation decision made by the executive branch in 1948.

## Notable For
- **Specific Fiscal Mechanism:** Notable for its utilization of a "special budgetary adjustment" (*Crédito Especial*) rather than general budget allocation.
- **Military Administration:** Specifically targets the Ministry of War (*Ministério da Guerra*), reflecting the terminology and administrative structure of Brazil in 1948.
- **Regional Focus:** Directs federal resources specifically to the state of Mato Grosso.
- **Capital Context:** Published in Rio de Janeiro, serving as a legal artifact from the period when Rio was the federal capital (prior to the move to Brasília in 1960).

## Body

### Legislative Definition and Classification
Law No. 431 of October 12, 1948, is formally classified as a **statute**. In the context of legal theory, a statute is a formal written document that creates law, acting as a manifestation of statutory law. This law is a subclass of "written work" and "document," and serves as a "legal norm."

The law is identified by the **Lexml Brazil ID** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-10-12;431`. This Uniform Resource Name (URN) serves as the official digital identifier for the text within the Brazilian legal information system. It is also categorized under "WikiProject Brazilian Laws" on collaborative knowledge platforms.

### Enactment and Publication
The statute was officially enacted on **October 12, 1948**. The act of approval was performed by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, classified specifically as a "promulgation."

The place of publication recorded for this law is **Rio de Janeiro**. At the time of enactment, Rio de Janeiro served as the capital of Brazil (a status it held until 1960). The law is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the jurisdiction.

### Subject Matter and Function
The functional core of Law No. 431/1948 is the authorization of a **special budgetary adjustment** (stated in the text as *Credito Especial*). In Brazilian administrative law, a "special credit" is a legal mechanism used to authorize spending that was not included in the annual budget law.

The law addresses the subject of **expense** (*Despesa*) by allocating these funds to a specific beneficiary: the **Ministry of War of Brazil** (*Ministerio Da Guerra*). The Ministry of War was the cabinet-level department responsible for the Brazilian Army until it was renamed the Ministry of the Army and later the Ministry of Defence.

### Geographic Scope
While the law applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil** as a whole, its main subject specifically lists the **State of Mato Grosso** (*Estado De Mato Grosso*). This indicates that the special credit authorized by Law No. 431 was intended for execution or utilization within this specific geographic region. During this period, Mato Grosso was a vast frontier state, often subject to specific military and infrastructure investments by the federal government.

### Context of the "Statute" Class
As an instance of a **statute**, Law No. 431 exists as a permanent, written record of legislative-executive action. It follows the standard lifecycle of such documents: it was caused by "legislation" or a "legal act," and results in "statutory law." As an official legal document (an "edict of government"), it is generally considered part of the **public domain**, ensuring public accessibility to the rules governing the allocation of public funds.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-10-12;431)